Victims of war
by Nymphadora-Maria
Summary: The German military takes over Panem during WW2. Katniss, Peeta and Gale have to adapt to the new reality, find a way to survive, help their families and deal with the enemy at the same time. Rated T for language.
1. Prologue

Before you get to the beginning of my story, i'd like to say a few things...

1) I want to thank my friends (and editors) Athena and Kiki, that helped me so much with the story (so if it sucks you can blame them too :P )

2) I would appreciate it if you can avoid any racistic comments towards the Germans. The story involves the Nazi's, who were defeated 75 years ago, no need to take it out on their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

3) Please forgive any mistakes that you might notice in the text, English is not my first language (or my friends' for that matter)

4) I hope you enjoy it. I won't be mad if you don't. no matter how you feel about the story, i'm always interested in your comments.

 **Prologue**

I am in the woods. I look around me. I am surrounded by my favorite trees, protected from the burning sun by their green leaves. I stretch my neck, allowing the cool breeze to ruffle my hair. I take a few steps forward, careful not to step on any edible plants that will be of my use later, my bow and arrow at hand, alert for any sign that prey is nearby. I am considering going by my pond later to gather some roots, fish, maybe even swim if I have the time. My mother doesn't like it when I go home after dark.

She's not very strict, really, just a little old-fashioned I guess. She's not very fond of the fact that I go into the woods alone, even though I'm usually closer to the house when in the woods that I would have been if I was in the central square of the town. She believes that a young woman like me would not be able to protect herself in a dangerous situation, and she shouldn't anyway; that is what men are for. She does know my father well, though, so she can trust the fact that he's trained me well. Now all she has to put up with is my refusal to wear a dress or a skirt in there; I am allowed to have exactly one pair of pants.

My father doesn't share her ideas, but he rarely objects when she lectures me or my younger sister. He realizes that this is her way of trying to keep us safe, and if there is anyone in this town that values safety it's him; he's a coal miner. He's been in an accident twice, trapped under the surface of the earth for hours without water or food, or oxygen for that matter. I can't even imagine how horrible that must have been for him; once I overheard him telling my mother that the second time, if it weren't for me and my sister he would have killed himself.

Until then, I was taking the freedom I felt every time I came to the forest for granted. I take a deep breath and repeat my little prayer, in order to thank God for that privilege whenever I am out here. I check the goods I've filled my bag with and decide it's enough for today. It's time to return home. As I cross the beautiful meadow between the forest and my house, I hear my father's song greeting me before I can see him. He has an amazing voice. Soon enough I spot him working on our small garden, in the back of our house. He likes to grow plants that my mother can use to make medical remedies. She is a nurse, after all.

"Katniss!" I hear Prim calling me. "Katniss, wake up!"

I open my eyes, blinded by the morning light and confused by my little sister's worried voice.

"What happened?" I ask, realizing that I'm freezing.

"I think you were having a bad dream…" she says hesitantly.

And then it hits me. The woods don't exist anymore. The meadow has been destroyed. My parents are dead. And my country is not free anymore.


	2. United

**Chapter 1 – united**

It has been more than a year, but everything happened so quickly, it feels like it was only yesterday that I had this blissful day I keep dreaming about.

We had heard rumors that Europe was at war. We knew that a guy named Hitler had created an army big enough and strong enough to take over an entire continent. We never thought that he would be interested in taking over Panem. We never believed that he would manage to get past our defenses. We never imagined there would be people here willing to welcome him. We should have.

There were signs that war was coming, we were just not willing to see them. Unexplained fires in a factory in district eight. Ships sinking only a few miles away from the coast. Plane crashes. The cold blooded murder of our nation's president, Alma Coin.

Two days after her death, bombs started dropping out of nowhere and my parents, my sister and I found ourselves hiding under the kitchen table, as if that could protect us. Actually we just did it for Prim. She was eleven years old, terrified, incapable of understanding what was happening and that was my idea of keeping her calm.

I was able to hear every single bomb that night. My hunter's ears allowed me to estimate where it had fallen. Every time the earth moved and the sound of the explosion rang in my ears I thanked God and everything else that was holy that it was not very close to my house. Several hours later, when it seemed like they had finally stopped, my father said that he wanted to take a look outside. I knew he was going towards the meadow to get a sort of panoramic view of the town. Not that he would see much in the dark.

My scream was covered by the loud sound indicating that a bomb had just been dropped next to my house. For a second all I could detect was the eerie silence. What happened? Was I dead? No I wasn't. I exchanged a terrified look with my mother. And then a few more fell in the woods.

I didn't need any officials turning up at my house to know my father was dead, so I simply left as soon as I saw them approaching. I was horrified at the sight of the town. Less than half the houses were still standing. I tried to walk as far away from the ruins as possible, to avoid looking at the human remains that were either burned or buried under their own walls. People that had nowhere to go, no place to seek that had died for absolutely no that were never going to be identified. It wasn't until later that I found out my own father had been identified only because he was wearing his grandfather's ring.

I spotted a crowd in front of the Justice Building where the town doctor, Haymitch Abernathy, was taking care of the wounded. I searched the crowd looking at familiar faces until I saw the one I was looking for. My best friend Gale was waiting in line, holding his newborn sister, Posy. I approached them slowly, not needing to ask to verify that they were the only survivors in his family.

"Hey, Catnip" he said with a broken voice.

I stared at the tiny, screaming human in his hands. "What happened to her?" I asked.

"I have no idea. Maybe she's in shock? She hasn't stopped crying in hours."

"Let's go, we'll ask my mother to take a look at her. And you, too." I ordered. I knew he wanted to say no. It had always been difficult for Gale to accept any help, but Posy was at the verge of turning blue, so there really was no time for pride.

"Is your family…" Gale began to ask on our way to my house.

"My mother and Prim are alive…" I interrupted him. I didn't want to say out loud that my father was dead. I didn't think I could do it without following Posy's example.

My mother took a quick look at the baby to make sure that she wasn't hurt and let Prim take care of her, so that she could turn her attention to Gale's injuries. I had already seen that his face was pretty beaten up, but there was a deep incision on his back that was still bleeding and a piece of metal stuck in his leg; a wave of nausea hit me.

I didn't know how my mother could do it. How my little sister, young, innocent, fragile Prim, could do it. I couldn't even look at Gale's injuries let alone help with treating them. I turned my attention to my sister, taking the bottle of milk she was about to give Posy and sent her to help our mom. The baby I could handle on my own. I started singing a lullaby my father had taught me, just as I had done so many times for my sister. It seemed to calm her down, after a while. Soon, she was clean, warm, full and comforted enough to drift off.

"Gale, if I may ask, are your parents…" my mother started to ask as she was suturing his back.

"Posy and I are the only ones left."

"And your house?"

"Destroyed."

There was a long, awkward pause, during which my mother, my sister and I exchanged a few glances.

"Well, you and Posy are welcome to stay here." My mother smiled.

I could tell that it was very difficult for him to say yes, he was struggling with his pride once again, but he had an infant to take care of now. He simply muttered a thank you that was followed by an expression of pain as my sister applied an herb mixture on his wounds.

The following day a group of soldiers came into town and got settled in the Justice Building, the school and the Peacekeepers' headquarters, hanging their flag outside those buildings. I didn't know much about them and most of us were too broken at that point to care. It wasn't until later that I had found out what they had been doing in Europe. How many deaths they were responsible for. The kind of torture they were capable of. At the time I only knew that, for some reason, the red flag with the strange-looking cross in the middle made me feel disgusted.

Soon enough they broke into our homes and confiscated all the food we had saved up for the winter. Gale had tried to stop them and if it wasn't for my mother, who had offered them most of her medical remedies, they would have arrested and executed him.

We tried to replace the supplies they had taken, but there wasn't much we could do. A big part of the forest had been destroyed and now we had to walk for miles before we could reach good hunting ground. Besides I didn't have my weapons anymore. I always kept them hidden in the woods, away from my little sister's curiosity. So we only managed to gather roots, wild onions, and some plants. We didn't have much time to do so, either, because now we were under curfew. No one that valued their lives was allowed to be out after dark. And we were at the end of the summer anyway, so soon enough there wouldn't be much to gather.

That winter was the worst I can remember. People would either die from illness and starvation, or freeze to death. The mines that had given work and salaries to so many people had been closed and even those who had managed to keep their jobs couldn't feed their families. We were all given coupons that provided us with small amounts of food, usually grain or beans. My sister and I spent hours waiting in lines for them, sometimes carrying Posy with us, when Gale spent most of his day in the now distant woods and my mother worked by Dr. Abernathy's side, trying to save as many of the ill as they could.

One day she came home and told us that the doctor had asked her to stop working, because of her "cold". We could see that she was not well. The lack of rest and a proper diet certainly didn't help the situation. We watched it drain the life out her, shrinking her once imperial figure. Our surviving was entirely up to Gale and me now. It was Prim that waited by her side the entire time, comforting her pain and sadness. It was Prim that heard her last wishes. It was Prim that diagnosed her death.


	3. Survival

**Chapter 2 – survival**

Now, a year later, not much seems to have changed. Even without my mother's presence we are doing alright. We have established roles. Gale usually goes into the woods. I spend my days waiting in lines with our precious coupons, trying to get whatever kind of food they are giving out that day. It's never enough for all of us. There are still days that I go home empty-handed. But somehow we have survived. A bunch of children, as people used to call us, have beaten the odds. Even Posy, Gale's baby sister that survived a bombing when she was only a newborn, despite the poverty and hunger, is a healthy one-year-old.

It is Prim that has made the biggest difference in her world. She is the one playing with her, cleaning her up, putting her to sleep. She always reminds Gale to bring food for our goat from the forest, so that we at least have milk for the child. She does almost everything around the house, too, while we are away. I see my mother in her so vividly that I have to remind myself Prim is still a child herself.

I hate them. The Nazis. They entered my country uninvited. They killed my parents and most of my friends. They force their presence on us with the excuse that they are trying to make us a better place, give us a better future. Truth is we don't know whether we'll get to live another day, let alone have a future. Everyone who shows their dislike towards the Nazis is arrested, tortured and executed. Not much gets past them. And I'm scared. Not for my life. For my family.

There are a few families that seem to be doing alright. They have embraced the enemy. They give them information, they teach them our language and they try to speak theirs. The rest of us consider them traitors. I've never seen them in trouble for anything that could get the rest of us killed. They have no idea what it means to be hungry or to have lost a loved one. They walk around town like they own the place. I hate them more.

As soon as the sun rises and curfew is over, I get up and get ready. Today is coupon day. I try to get to the town square as soon as possible, but given the fact that I live almost out of town, I am never one of the first. I am almost running in the streets when I hear someone calling my name.

"Katniss! Katniss Everdeen!" I know who that voice belongs to before I turn around to face him.

I see Peeta Mellark approaching me, a dazzling smile on his face, ignoring the expression on my face that I doubt can show him exactly how much I despise him.

"What do you want? I'm busy." I say, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"I believe the proper thing to say to an old friend is 'Good morning!' So, good morning, Katniss." He says always with that smile that makes me want to slap him.

"Well, it's not good and you're not my friend." I say coldly.

"Oh, come on, why are you so mean to me?" he fake-frowns.

As if you don't know, traitor. "Peeta, did you want something? Because I really have to go now."

"Oh, you know perfectly well what I want."

Of course I know. Me. But that's not gonna happen. I say nothing and turn around to leave, but like I said before, this is not a good morning.

"You know, you wouldn't have to waste all that energy in lines if you had just accepted my proposal. There's plenty of room for both of us and your sister in my home."

"Well, even if it was only me and my sister, Peeta, I still wouldn't accept your offer. You must have realized that by now." I point out.

"Oh, right, I forgot, you're playing house with that Hawthorne guy. You really don't want to end up with someone like him, sweetheart, you have so much potential."

"Who are you to tell me who I should and shouldn't end up with?" I raise my voice.

"Careful, now. Don't want to get into trouble, do you?" he finally loses the smile. "People are talking, Katniss. You and him living together is a scandal. I am disappointed in you."

"Good, I never meant to please you." I hiss.

"But we can change that…" he winks at me.

I want to hit him so bad that I actually bite my fist as I turn around to go, not to the square, but back home. No point in going now, I'll probably be the last in line, which evidently means empty-handed.

"Stupid, arrogant, evil, little…" I am still muttering insults as I close the door behind me.

"Hello, to you, too!" says Gale, half worried, half amused by my behavior. "What happened?"

I look at Prim, still asleep next to Posy. "Are you going to the woods today?" I ask.

He nods.

"Good." I say. "I'll come with you."

Gale smiles."Perfect timing. I have a surprise for you."

I take the blanket from my bed and throw it over Prim and Posy before I follow Gale outside.

We are now walking in what used to be my woods. I still can't get used to the silence of the burnt forest, or the dead zone, as Gale calls it. And I'm going to have to endure it for quite some time.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Gale asks after some time.

I never hid it from him, that I've been having issues with Mellark ever since he offered to marry me, right after my mother's death, so I simply tell him everything.

When I'm finished he stares at me for a long moment. "Well, good call on coming back home." He says finally. "That filthy traitor wasted your time for nothing… he was right about one thing though…"

"What?" I ask, quickly replaying my conversation with Peeta in my head.

"People are talking… I've been putting you in a difficult position for quite some time… maybe it's time Posy and I find a new house." He explained.

"You want to leave?" I ask, after a few minutes.

"I think it is best that I do. We've been taking up a lot of space, Posy has been a handful for Prim. And I am compromising your reputation."

"You're compromising my reputation?" I repeat his words, trying not laugh.

"I am, Catnip. It's just like Mellark said… They think that I… you know… you and I…" he tries to explain and he blushes. I can actually see red spots on his cheeks.

"You must be joking…" I raise my brow.

"No, Katniss, I'm not."

"Since when do you care about what people say? Especially now?"

"Well, I don't care about me… they can say anything they want. But you…"

"I can take care of my own reputation." I interrupt him. "Gale, you, Posy and Prim are the only family I have left. Neither Prim nor I want you to leave. We wouldn't have survived the last year on our own and neither would you and your sister. We are all alive today because we have stuck together as a family and I'm not going to let anyone take it apart, including you." I finish my sentence practically yelling.

"Ok, don't shoot!" he lifts his hands in the air, as if to surrender.

I laugh and give him a light push.

We finally reach a part of the woods that was not destroyed. Gale pulls me towards a hollow tree. He reaches in and pulls out two bows with a set of arrows each. I take one in my hand eagerly and examine it.

"Did you make these?" I ask as I take an arrow and point it in the distance. It doesn't quite feel like my old weapons, but I've been longing to get my hands on one for so long, I don't really care.

"Yes… I finished them just yesterday."

I am looking for something to shoot, but not much is going on in the middle of winter. I chose to aim at a tree, instead. And it's a good thing I do, because it takes me a few tries to get used to it. Soon Gale follows my example. When we see a group of wild turkeys it is almost too easy to take down 3 of them.

I start cleaning them as Gale goes to check on his snares. Good think he had the sense to keep the long wire he had found in the ruins of a house.

"Just this" he informs me as he holds up a dead rabbit. We secure the fresh meat in our hunting bags and decide to return home. Soon enough it will be dark outside and if anyone sees us, we're dead.

"You know" Gale says, "I don't know how much longer I can live like this."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think I can stand those people for much longer. The Nazis."

"What are you going to do, Gale, start an uprising?" I mutter, afraid that someone might hear me, even though we're still too far away from the town.

"Why not? They barge in here, they kill more than half of us, they establish irrational rules, they torture us for our disobedience and they execute us. And I hear they've been doing far worse to people in Europe just because they follow a religion or they have a skin color this Führer guy doesn't like. They deserve an uprising."

"Gale, would you please shut up? Someone might hear you!" I say looking around me like a paranoiac.

"If only there was a way to know what is going on in the other districts… there are so few of us left here, in twelve. Maybe if there are more in the others, we could unite and…"

"You're too much of an optimist, and this optimism is going to have you killed. So shut up and keep trying to survive. We don't have the means to deflect them; all we can do is endure them." I interrupt him.

"How can you say that, Katniss? Those people killed our families! Your parents…"

"You don't think I know that it's their fault my parents are dead? You don't think I hate them as much as you do? I do, Gale, but there is no way we can chase them out of here. All I can do right now is stay alive, keep my family alive and ignore them when I see them in the streets." I explain quickly. We are in the dead zone now and I am really afraid that we'll be overheard.

Apparently Gale is worried about the same thing because he doesn't try to continue the conversation, even though I know there are so many things he wants to say right now.

We enter the house and the smell of Prim's soup makes my stomach growl. Something's not right though. I don't know what it is that I smell, but it is not beans and onions. I check the pot that she has carefully placed in the fireplace and I see vegetables and meat boiling in yellowish water. I look at my sister, confused and about to ask her what is going on, but I see her cut a fresh loaf of bread into thin slices and everything makes sense. That damn baker's kid, Mellark.

"Prim, where did you find all these ingredients?" I ask slowly.

"Someone left them in the front door. They seem to be ok so I thought maybe we could have a proper meal for a change. More than one, actually." She said pointing at a bag in the corner of the kitchen. I take a look inside and see carrots, potatoes and other vegetables, plenty of them.

I look at Gale and he shrugs. Oh well, we might as well let Prim enjoy it. It's not that often that I see my little sister in a good mood. When she sees the turkeys I can spot real excitement in her eyes.

When it is time to turn off the lights we are full and satisfied. Prim and Posy fall asleep at once in Prim's bed but Gale and I stay up to talk.

"What do you think I should do about this?" I ask Gale, pointing at the bag with the vegetables.

"My first response would be to take them back to him. But I'm thinking of the girls." he says.

"Maybe it's not from him." I suggest, just for argument's sake.

"Who else would have so much to spare and be interested in sharing it with you?"

"True. Do you think he might be expecting something in exchange?" I ask, horrified at the idea that I owe him a favor.

"If he is, he should have made himself clear. The guy didn't even have the guts to knock the door and hand them over." Gale shrugs.


	4. In sickness and in health

**Chapter 3 – in sickness and in health**

The next day I decide to stay home and help Prim around the house. I cook and clean and help her move around our few furniture to make room for Posy; she is about to start walking on her own now. I play with her too, while Prim milks the goat. It feels so nice to spend time with my sister, so normal, that soon I forget all about last night's worries.

"Katniss?" she calls me quietly from the other side of the room. I look up and see her examining Posy. "I think we need to call the doctor." she says.

"Prim, what's wrong?" I ask.

"Posy has a fever. I thought she was coming down with something, yesterday, so I gave her some of that tea mom used to make for us. She seemed to be getting better, but she's warm again."

I trust Prim's judgement more than I would trust my own eyes; she's always been a natural caretaker just like my mother. If she's worried enough to ask for help, then we have a problem. Besides, I feel the baby's head myself; she's burning.

"Ok." I say, trying not to panic. "I'll go look for the doctor, alright?"

I ask around in town, but no one seems to have seen Abernathy today. I am already on my way to his house when I hear someone calling my name. Well, if it isn't the love of my life…

"What do you want, Peeta?" I ask, clearly annoyed.

"Don't tell me you're busy today, too."

"I am. Have you seen Dr. Abernathy today, by any chance?" Yes, I am desperate enough to actually make small talk with the traitor.

"I'm afraid not. Is everything alright?" he asks, casually.

"Never mind, I'll find him myself" I mutter and turn around to leave, but apparently today is not my day.

"Katniss wait!" he says.

"What, now?"

"I want you to accept my apologies, for yesterday, along with my gift."

There are so many things I want to tell him at the moment, but I am in hurry.

"Apology accepted. Can I go now?" I turn around once more and start walking as fast as I can before he has the opportunity to say more, but soon enough he's walking by my side.

"Is something wrong?" he asks.

"No, I just like running around, looking for the doctor like a crazy person." I snap.

"I was thinking maybe I can help…"

Yeah sure, you want to help, out of the goodness of your heart."I don't think so… you don't strike me as a guy that knows about sick babies… and even if you did, I wouldn't trust Posy with you."

"Well, that baby should not be your problem, anyway. You're not her sister. You're certainly not her mother…" He points out.

"Honestly, who the hell do you think you are? What do you think gives you the right to tell me what should and should not be my problem? Not that it's any of your business, but I happen to care about my friends. Where do you stand with yours?" I am yelling now.

That makes him stop walking, but I don't, eager as I am to put some distance between us. Maybe I was a little bit too harsh. Oh, well, that's what you get for being friends with the enemy.

I am knocking the door for several minutes before Abernathy opens it, and when he does, I am overwhelmed by the smell of alcohol.

"Dr. Abernathy, I need your help" I say.

"You're the nurse's daughter, aren't you?" he asks and I detect something unusual in his speech. Has he been drinking?

"Yes" I reply and he opens the door wider, so that I can go inside.

The moment I step foot in his living room I regret coming here in the first place,but Prim doesn't have my mother's experience, so I don't think I have another option. The smell is so strong now that I feel a little lightheaded. The place is a mess and there's vomit on the floor. Now that I take a good look at him, Abernathy's in no better condition.

"Are you the talented one?" he asks. "Are you here to ask for a job?"

"Prim is the one that has been following my mother's footsteps." I say proudly.

"Then I can't help you." He says and shows me the door.

"There has to be something you can do… Gale's sister is sick…"

"If your sister can't help her, no one can…" he shakes his head.

"Prim is just a child!" I am infuriated now. "And Posy is just a baby! So get it together and come see what's wrong with her."

"I can't help her." he insists. "I can't help anyone anymore. They all die in the end."

He takes a bottle from the table that I assume is his drink, but I snap it out of his hands and smash it on the floor before he has the chance to drink.

"So your solution is to just give up? People need you now more than ever! Even if all you can give them is comfort or hope!" I say.

"I tried. I can't anymore… I am useless…"

"That's a shame. I thought my mother was working by the side of a scientist. I didn't know she was wasting her time with a drunken coward." Damn, I'm good at saying hurtful things today.

It does seem to shake him up a bit, though. He looks at me a bit more carefully this time, like he's sizing me up. "Well, you may not have inherited your mother's gift, but you are certainly your father's daughter. That man did not take 'no' for an answer." He says.

"Neither do I." I say staring him in the eyes.I didn't know my father a reputation.

He disappears without another word and I'm standing like an idiot in the middle of his living room, having no idea what to do. I am determined not to go back to Prim empty-handed.

A few minutes later he comes back wearing clean clothes and I can see water dripping from his hair and face.

"Are you sober enough to do this?" I ask, raising my brow.

"I think so. The fresh air will help clear my head a lot faster than your delightful personality, so let's get going."

"Well, you'd better not think so by the time we're there, you'd better be sure." I say as he slams his door behind us.

When we finally reach my house, we find Prim trying to get some tea into Posy. Abernathy takes her from my sister's arms to examine her while he's asking questions about previous illnesses, the lack of food, even our own habits. He looks at our empty fireplace.

"We only light it up for a few hours every day, to save up wood." Prim explains before he has the chance to ask. "Gale and Katniss can't carry very much of that from the forest."

"Well, that explains the severe cold that is tormenting this infant." Abernathy says. "All you can do is keep her warm, well fed and give her a lot of water. Keep giving her that tea, too, it seems to be working."

"That's it?" I ask, raising a brow.

"Yes, that's pretty much it. Things would be much easier if I gave her medication for her fever and cough but something tells me you can't afford them anyway. At least you have the advantage of your mother's knowledge."

"Thank you, doctor" Prim says shaking his hand.

"You know where to find me if you need anything." He nods to both of us and closes the door behind him.

Well, that was fast. And very professional from a guy that was hangover twenty minutes ago.

The rest of the day goes by with me doing chores around the house while Prim spends most of her time with Posy. When Gale comes home we are relieved to see that he has filled his bag with branches from the dead zone.

"What's wrong with Posy?" he asks when he sees that the poor child has turned red from crying.

"She has a cold" Prim says as she carefully places her in his arms.

I expect him to panic, so I am very surprised when I see him trying very patiently to feed her and coax some tea into her. He even offers to take her in his bed so that Prim can rest properly.

"Prim, can you come see this?" he says just as I am about to turn off the lights. I can hear the worry in his voice.

Prim and I both walk in his room to see that Posy's eyes are red and oozing some sort of fluid. Red spots have also began to blossom on her skin. I look at Prim, not having a clue of what it is.

"I've seen it before but I don't know what it is. Mom would usually send me in the other room if they brought a kid with those symptoms here. She said I was in danger of getting infected." she explains.

"I'm going to get the doctor" I say, pulling my coat over my nightgown.

"Katniss, no, it's past curfew!" Prim says.

"I am the one who should go, Katniss." Gale adds.

"You may not convince the doctor to come here this late." I point out.

"And you will?" he says with a hint of sarcasm.

"Let's just say that he and I came to an understanding this morning."

"Ok, then." He shrugs. "But if you're gone for more than an hour I'll come looking for you."

"No, Gale, you won't. You will not leave the girls alone in the middle of the night. If I'm gone for more than an hour you'll probably find me at the school in the morning, with the other prisoners." I whisper so that Prim doesn't hear me.

"Be careful" they both tell me before I close the door behind me.

There is no light in the streets. If it weren't for the clear night sky and the full moon I'd probably keep slamming into walls. I am being careful not to run into anyone, but even then I find myself face to face with him. Again.

"Are you stalking me?" I hiss at him.

"You're a few feet away from my house but I'm the one stalking you? Nice logic." Peeta says, amused.

He sizes me up in the moonlight for a moment. "You know, a beautiful girl like you shouldn't be out alone this late."

"Well, according to the latest rules no one should be out this late but here we both are." I say, ignoring his compliment.

"I was just about to go home. What's your excuse?" he asks.

Before I have the chance to tell him that it's none of his damn business we hear footsteps. I recognize the sound of the boots the Nazi soldiers wear as I am being slammed into the wall behind me.

"Work with me" Peeta whispers before his lips find mine.

I am so stunned that I cannot push him away as he places my hands on the back of his neck, even if I want to. He does not stop kissing me until the soldier yells something in German. Peeta gives him an answer in the same language, they both laugh and the soldier leaves.

"What was that?" I ask suspiciously.

"That's what it's like to have friends in high places, Katniss. I know you think of me as a traitor, but my betrayal just saved your life." He explained.

"How?" I ask again.

"I told him you're my girlfriend."

"You what?" I almost yell. He puts a hand over my mouth.

"Are you crazy?" he hisses. "Do you want him to come back? Come on, I told him that I'm going to walk you home."

"I'm not going home."

"Well, you are now. Forget whatever kind of business you might have in town." He pulls my arm.

"I can't. I've to go to the doctor's house."

"Ok, then, I'll walk you there."

"No getting rid of you, is there?" I mutter.

"Some gratitude would be nice, you know."

"Oh, I'm sorry." I say. "Thank you for giving me a concussion and bruising my mouth in your attempt to save my life."

He chuckles and slides his hand across my waist but I push it away. I can see Abernathy's house now. Not much longer, I tell myself.

"You see, it would have been less painful and more pleasant if you had co-operated a bit more. Hasn't that Hawthorne guy taught you anything?"

My palm finds his face as my other hand is knocking on Abernathy's door.

He opens the door and his jaw drops when he sees both of us standing there.

"She's your problem now" Peeta tells him and leaves.

The doctor grabs my arm and pulls me inside. "Are you crazy?" he says once we're in his living room.

"Doctor, I think you have to take a look at Posy again. She has these red spots on her face and my sister doesn't know what to make of them."

"Ok, I'll go look at them. But you'd better stay here, young lady." he says. "I can get out after hours if it is absolutely necessary,what's your excuse if we get caught?"

"I'll take my chances. If they catch us, I'll deal with it." I say.

We manage to avoid any unpleasant surprises on our way home, although we barely avoid coming across Nazis twice. We find Prim and Gale drowning in desperation as Posy won't stop crying. And that has only made her cough worse.

"She has the measles." he said after another thorough examination. "I see that you have managed to keep her temperature under control. Good job." He nods to Prim.

I smile at my sister proudly.

"So, how do we deal with it?" Gale asks.

"Keep doing what you're doing, she'll probably fight it by herself. Treat her symptoms, keep her eyes clean and I think your mother had something for the rash? If you can make that ointment it's going to help a lot."

I try to calm Posy down as Gale and Prim ask the doctor questions. He gives them a bunch of instructions not only about the baby, but for us as well. How we should handle her in order to avoid infection and what to do in case we present with the same symptoms.

"Would you like to stay here tonight, doctor?" Prim offers.

"No, I think it's best if I go home. And, Prim… if you're ever looking for a job, come find me. Payment may not be the best in these mad times, but at least you'll be able to learn. You do have the potential."

Gale and I decide not to be away from the house at the same time until Posy gets better so I end up spending a lot more time in it than I care. This place reminds me so much of my parents that my chest begins to hurt.

"I don't know how you do it." I tell Prim when she asks me what's wrong for probably the hundredth time. "It feels like they're everywhere. I have to constantly remind myself that I'll never see them again."

"It felt like that at first. I guess I got used to it after a while. Posy helps a lot. If you have to keep an infant without toys entertained you do have to put your mind to work." Prim says.

It is only then that I notice the only toy Posy has is an old knitted rabbit Prim used to sleep with. I open my mother's old trunk and decide to destroy one of my old shirts so the rest of my day goes by with me making new dolls. They look kind of freakish, their features are drawn with carbon dust and their hair consists of strings I cut from an old ball of yarn but Posy seems intrigued and excited.

"Are they for some sort of ritual? Are you trying to scare her illness away?" Gale asks as he examines them but he laughs.

I throw the one I am holding right at his head and it is then that we hear Posy's clear laughter. Prim throws another and she has the same reaction.

"Oh, great." Gale mutters. "My sister is a sadist."


	5. Visitors

**Chapter 4 – visitors**

Days go by and I can see that Posy is getting better but I am still afraid that she'll need a doctor so we keep staying at home in turns. I love the fact that I can hunt now, and I feel so free in the woods that I am actually considering staying there permanently.

"I've considered it too…" Gale admits, when I tell him my thoughts. "If only the girls were a little older…"

We have stayed up late and the lights are out so I can't read his expression. I have a feeling that he's much more serious about this than I am.

Suddenly we hear a knock at the door. Instantly, I grab a knife from the table as Gale lights the one candle we have for emergencies.

"Who is it?" he hisses by the door.

"We are not from this district." we hear a woman say. "We need help!"

Gale opens the door slightly and from what I can see under his arm, there's a woman supporting a half-unconscious man.

Gale puts the man's free arm around his neck and they lay him on the kitchen table. Both our visitors are young. Not older than twenty five, I assume. And the man is bleeding heavily. I turn around and vomit right on the floor.

"Is she pregnant?" asks the woman looking at my flat stomach.

"No!" says Gale. "Katniss, wake up Prim."

I run to my bedroom, seizing the opportunity to leave the room.

"Prim!" I whisper, trying not wake the baby in her arms. "Prim wake up!"

I secure Posy between Prim's pillow and mine before I follow her back to the kitchen. Thank God their bodies are keeping the wounded man out of my sight.

"We were in the train station." The woman explains. "We wanted to go to the Capitol, but one of those Nazis' knife found Finnick here so we had to postpone our trip. Are you sure you know what you're doing, kid?" she eyes Prim suspiciously.

"I can see three stab wounds to the abdomen but they don't seem very deep. I believe, if I can stop the bleeding, he'll probably live." she says. She pulls a kit from one of the cupboards that I see for the first time.

"Doctor Abernathy brought it a couple of days ago, you were out." She explains before I have the chance to ask where she got it.

"There's a doctor in town?" the woman asks.

Gale nods. "Well, Prim is the next best person to trust your life with." He says.

"So that's why he sent us here…" the woman mutters.

"Who sent you here?" I ask instantly.

"Easy, girl! A man. He said our only hope was this house. I told him it may have been too far for Finnick to walk, but he insisted that the further we were from the town, the better. Can't say I blame him, you're practically isolated out here."

"What did that man look like?" I ask again.

"I don't know! I couldn't see his face. I'm just grateful that he wasn't their friend. We both would have been dead by now." The woman explains.

"You haven't told us who you are, yet. How did you end up in district 12?" Gale asks.

Finnick moans and we all stop for a moment. Prim has cleaned one of the wounds and now she's started making sutures. Apparently my mother had taught her better than I thought. I look away and fight another wave of nausea. Now's not the time to be sick myself.

"Are you sure you're not pregnant?" the woman asks again, eyeing me warily. "Wouldn't blame you if you were carrying his child." She points at Gale and winks.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure I'm not carrying his offspring." I say a little annoyed now. "You didn't answer his question."

"What? Oh right… I'm Johanna Mason, district seven. And that's Finnick Odair, district four. We've both run away from our districts. We didn't exactly know where to go until we met someone outside of district eight. He told us that there is an underground organization in the Capitol that wants to take down the Nazis." She explains.

I look at Gale, wondering whether any of that is true and he shrugs. We have no way of knowing.

Posy starts crying and Gale goes to put her back to sleep, leaving me alone with our visitors and Prim.

Johanna raises a brow. "That's his sister!" I say.

"Can't blame me for thinking otherwise… I don't care if you two aren't married or something, I don't judge." She shrugs.

"We are not a couple." I say emphasizing each word. God knows how tired I am of having to explain that to people.

"Girl, are you crazy? If only I had a man like that in my house…" she mutters.

"Suit yourself then!" I say a bit too loudly. I get up and go in my room to check on Posy, mostly to stop my conversation with Johanna. It seems to be working since she's asking Prim questions about Finnick's condition now.

"You'd really just give me away like that to the first woman that shows interest in me?" he says quietly but I know he's amused.

"Oh, shut up…" I tell him. "Can't be the first woman that shows any interest, I've seen how they stare at you in town…"

"You're not jealous, are you?" he asks, even more amused.

I laugh. "More like worried that they'll rip you apart if you make yourself available to them…"

"Doesn't sound so bad…"

"No of course not… unless you like being able-bodied…"

We both laugh before we remember we're trying to put a baby to sleep.

"That should have been our lives now, shouldn't it?" Gale says.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we should be thinking about what to do with our lives, not worried that we might not get to keep them for another day! Our plans should go a little further than next day's dinner." He explains.

"I know what you mean…" I say. "I was thinking about what Abernathy told Prim the other day… if those fascists hadn't invaded Panem, Prim might have had the chance to become a trained nurse. Or even a doctor! Now she's not even going to school…"

"Maybe Johanna's telling the truth… I swear if the girls weren't so young, I'd be on my way to the Capitol right now!"

"Hold it, soldier!" I whisper. "First of all, you don't say these things out loud with two strangers in the house! Second, you do realize that getting involved with something like that could get you killed right?"

"If that's what the rest of my life is going to be like, I might as well die now!"

I know Gale and I know that he means every word he says, but right now I refuse to acknowledge it. Deep down I'm sure that if it weren't for the girls he'd have done something stupid by now, like start killing soldiers with a bow.

It feels like the night isn't going to pass, none of us get enough sleep, not even Posy, but it is my own little sister I am worried about. She remains by Finnick's side, watching him warily, applying herb mixes on his wounds and trying to keep his temperature down. She checks his pulse and counts his breaths frequently.

"If only we had actual medication" she mutters a few times.

Finnick spends most of the time unconscious and when he does wake up all he says is a name. "Annie."

"That's his wife." Johanna explains. "She disappeared afew months ago. No one knows what happened to her. People thought he killed her and the Nazis arrested him. He managed to break free the night before his execution. All he can think about is finding her."

Unexplained disappearances, especially of young women are not unusual here either. People debate on whether they are connected or not. As for me, I don't believe in coincidences.

"And what's your story?" Prim asks.

"Me? I was just looking for trouble. Finnick was in my district, I ran into him one night, he was starving. I invited him to my place and offered to help him find Annie if he helped me avenge my family's deaths. So we set the Justice Building on fire and ran away."

In the morning Gale offers to go get the doctor and Prim agrees.

"No!" Johanna protests. "No one can know we're here."

"Johanna, there is only so much I can do. He could die!" Prim insists.

Johanna thinks about that for a moment. "Can he be trusted?" she asks. Gale looks at me.

"He can." I decide. I don't know where my certainty comes from. It probably has to do with his appreciation for my mother. Or his interest in my sister's skills. Or the fact that I showed up in his house after hours and I'm still alive.

"Thank you for coming again, doctor." Prim says when he follows Gale inside the house.

"I think we've seen enough of each other in the last few days to be on a first name basis, don't you?" he looks at both Prim and me. I nod.

He doesn't ask who our guests are and we don't bother telling him.

"Katniss" Gale mutters while Haymitch is talking to both Prim and Johanna. "His house reeks of liquor. I think he was drunk."

"He probably was. But he seems fine now." I answer. "Drunk or sober what choice do we have but to trust him?"

"Once again I am impressed, Primrose. Not many could have managed to stop this kind of bleeding. Of course the ideal would be to have him in a hospital, but that's out of the question…"

"Katniss!" Gale says looking out of the window. "They're coming!"

I can see them too. Three soldiers are heading towards house. Followed by Mellark.

Gale and Haymitch put Finnick under Prim's bed and I slide mine next to it. I help Johanna get in my mother's old trunk and throw all our clothes in after her. It seems pathetic, but that's all we can do to hide our fugitives in our little place. Prim clears the kitchen of any evidence that she had a patient over and she's about to start boiling water for tea when we hear the knock on our door. I open, holding the baby in my hands and I think that's the only reason they didn't knock me down on their way in.

Peeta enters last. "Hello, Katniss" he says but his usual arrogant smile is missing.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Gale asks sarcastically.

"We have information that you are hiding criminals" says one of the soldiers in his heavy accent.

They start searching the house without asking for our permission, of course. They must be pretty stupid for not checking under the bed, or they think too much of us. My heart stops when the soldier that speaks our language opens the trunk.

"Seriously?" Prim laughs. "That thing can barely hold our clothes, you think a person would fit in there?"

The soldier considers that for a moment and decides that she's right. He closes it without further searching.

"That is it?" he asks when they're done looking at the place. "That is the entire house?"

"Does it look bigger on the outside?" I snap.

"What is under the floor?" he insists.

"The earth, I would assume. I've never taken it apart to check." I reply.

One of the other soldiers says something in German.

"You did not tell us your girlfriend had such a big mouth, Peeta." says the first soldier.

"One of the things I love about her" he says as he puts one arm around my shoulders and plants a kiss on my cheek.

Posy starts crying, terrified by the stranger that is so close to her. Gale takes her from my hands. I can see the astonishment in his eyes, but I shake my head slightly. Now is not the time for explanations. They're about to leave when they notice Haymitch.

"What are you doing here?" the soldier asks.

"Their baby's sick, I came to examine her. Is that illegal now too?" he says a bit too provocatively.

"Right. The baby. Ok. We will go now. But be careful." He looks at Gale. "If we find something…" he runs his index finger across his neck. Yup, he's pretty clear about it.

We make sure they're in a safe distance before Gale and Haymitch pull Finnick back on the table and I let Johanna out of the trunk.

"Damn it, most of the sutures are ripped!" Haymitch yells. He and Prim start working on him again and all the rest of us can do observe.

I feed Posy, apply some ointment on her fading rash and play with her until they're done.

"Start giving him fluids." I hear Haymitch say and I assume they're done. Tough one, that Finnick guy. "He has lost a lot of blood, all we can do is help him regain its volume."

Gale comes in and sits on my bed. "What was that?" he asks.

"You don't want to know" I mutter.

"Is there something going on between you and that traitor?" he demands.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no." I say.

"It is my business, Catnip. I need to know that I can trust you. How do you expect me to do that if I know that you're his girlfriend?"

"What is this, a jealousy scene?" Johanna asks as she sits beside him.

"Katniss can date whoever she wants,I'm not going to stop her." Gale says. "As long as they're not friends with the enemy…"

"I'm not dating him!" I raise my voice now. "For God's sake, Gale, we live in the same house, you'd know if I was dating anyone!"

"Are we talking about the local guy with those bastards? I wanted to talk to you about that…" Johanna says. "I think he was the one that sent us here yesterday…"

Gale jumps up. "I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!"

"Gale, sit down, you're not going anywhere. Johanna, are you sure it was him?"

"Well, I recognized his voice. I think he is the one I spoke with last he has an identical twin or something."

"So he saved your lives last night only to try and have you killed today? That doesn't make sense…" I say.

"It makes perfect sense!" Gale yells. "They find them here, they get executed and we get arrested!"

"Keep your voices down in there, will you?" We hear Prim say from the kitchen.

"Kill two birds with one stone" Johanna mutters.

"Something doesn't add up…" I insist.

"What?" Gale asks.

"He saved my life a few nights ago… that's why that Nazi thinks I'm his girlfriend." I explain.

"You don't see it, do you?" Gales says, frustrated. "You know he's had his eye on you for quite some time. What better way of forcing you to be with him than have the rest of us killed?"

The more I think about Gale's words, the more they make sense to me. It isn't uncommon for girls my age to marry out of need. Mellark probably counts on me doing the same. That afternoon I decide to go find him.

"Where are you going?" Prim asks when she sees me putting on my coat.

"I need some air" I say, and I do. I've spent the biggest part of the day with Posy, since Prim was busy with Finnick. I can't deal with the smell of blood for much longer anyway.

I am walking into town going on my usual route but I see no surprises today. _Can't find you now that I'm actually looking for you._ I end up doing something I never thought I would have done. I go to his house.

His mother, the witch as I like to call her, opens the door.

"Can I help you?" she asks. I can tell that she doesn't want to help at all.

"Yes, I am looking for Peeta."

She lets me in with a frown and guides me into a study. This certainly is a rich place. I run my fingers over the soft fabric of the desk chair and the smooth surface of the desk. I am looking at their enormous collection of books when Peeta joins me.

"Come for more?" he gives me that arrogant smile that I _so missed_ in the morning.

"What do you want Peeta?" I jump into the subject immediately.

"Is that like a punchline or something? Or is it a reflex?" he asks. He runs his fingers through his hair and I can't decide if that is a sign on nervousness or an attempt to look better. I stare at him, confused.

"You come into my house and instead of telling me why you're here you're asking me what I want. You do that every single time you see me. And somehow I don't think it's because of your desperate need to serve me."

"Why are you pretending to be my boyfriend?" I ask.

He looks over his shoulder, making sure the door is shut. "Are you out of your mind? Someone might hear you!" he says.

"Oh, so the Nazis are allowed to think that, but not your family?" I say, a little amused.

"No one knows I'm pretending, ok? So keep it down." he urges me.

"Which brings me back to my initial question… why are you doing it? What are you hoping you'll get out of it?"

"You, alive and safe, for one thing. A little gratitude wouldn't hurt my feelings either."

"Gratitude? You want my gratitude? You and your gorilla friends burst into my house, accuse me of hiding fugitives and you want me to be grateful for it?" I glare at him.

"How are they by the way?" he asks. Oh, no, little bastard, I'm not falling into your tricks.

"Who?" I ask innocently.

"The fugitives." He says it like it's the most natural thing in the world.

"Peeta, you were there this morning. There are no fugitives in my house."

"Just because we didn't find them, doesn't mean they weren't there. I know for a fact that they were. I sent them."

"So let me get this straight… you tell two people wanted by the Nazis to seek shelter in my house and a few hours later you show up with them? _And_ you want me alive and safe at the same time? What kind of games are you playing?" I realize that I've raised my voice again.

"I don't know who gave them away, but it wasn't me!" he insists.

"And I'm supposed to believe that because?"

"Because you're the last person I want to hurt. I think I've made my intentions for you pretty clear."

"Yes, you've also made your feelings about the rest of my family pretty clear. I'm warning you, Mellark. Stay away from them." I tell him before I run out of his house.


	6. Message

**Chapter 5 - message**

I don't go home immediately. If I do they'll see that I'm upset and the last thing I need is to answer questions about where I was and who I was with. I walk around the town for a while, visiting the places I used to go before the invasion; the school, the mines and eventually the dead zone, which is on the other side of town. I make it back home minutes before curfew begins.

"Where have you been?" Prim asks as soon as I close the door.

"I just lost track of time."

I begin to apologize for worrying her so much but I notice that we are alone in the kitchen, except for Posy who's playing with her new dolls in a corner.

"Where is everyone?" I ask.

"Finnick is in your bed. Johanna's trying to give him some tea. Gale is out, looking for you."

Oh no. He must have gone to the woods. "I should go look for him…" I say.

"No!" Prim says. "You are not going anywhere, they'll just catch both of you! Please, Katniss!"

It's the first time in days that Prim's face resembles the one of a child, rather than a grown woman responsible for other people's lives. I can see how terrified she is, how helpless she feels. I pull her in a tight embrace.

"Every time either of you go out, day or night, I'm afraid that you will never come back." She says. "I don't want to lose you."

"You will not lose me, little duck. I promise you that." I kiss the top of her head.

"Aw, isn't that adorable!" Johanna says as she places a cup on the table.

"I'm sorry, it must be very hard for you to see that… given that you have lost your family…" Prim says hesitantly.

I can see moisture appear in Johanna's eyes but she doesn't lose her smile. "It's nice to see that some families are still united." she says.

"I'll go check on Finnick." My sister announces.

"How is he?" I ask Johanna.

"Well, I managed to make him drink a cup of tea. It took me two hours, though. Prim says things would be easier if we could just push water in his veins, but she has nothing to work with. And he still has to fight infection."

"Well, if anyone can help him is Prim." I say. "She may not believe it herself but I do. She was trained by our mother and I've seen my mother work miracles."

"You mean you stuck around long enough to actually see the miracle happen?" Johanna says sarcastically.

"No…" I shake my head. "But I've seen them walk out of here, alive. People that even the doctor had given up on."

"Katniss… I'm sorry for all the trouble we've caused you with our presence…"

"No, don't be. In times like these all we have when we need help is each other. If we give that up, then they'll truly have won."

"Is that the reason why you let that Peeta guy help you, today?" she asks.

I shake my head. "Prim is. And Posy. And Gale."

"I understand… if my family was alive I wouldn't be here."

"If I may ask… how did that happen?" I ask hesitantly.

"My brother was killed in a fight, a few days after the invasion. My parents were executed a week before I met Finnick."

"Why?" I ask before I can stop myself.

"They found a gun in the house. Someone my father trusted betrayed him. If I hadn't been away that the time, I would have been dead, too. I got off easy. They 'interrogated' me for a few days, I convinced them I had no idea the weapon was in the house and they let me go."

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Johanna." I squeeze her hand.

She shakes her head and pulls her hand away from me. It seems like she's not very comfortable with such acts of affection.

When it's late enough to turn off the lights, I am lying with Prim and Posy in Gale's bed now that Johanna and Finnick have taken our room; he'd been using my parents' old bed. I don't sleep, I can't. Gale is nowhere to be seen and I find myself hoping he was eaten by wolves because the other option is that he's been captured by the Nazis. It must be a few hours before dawn that someone knocks the door violently, yelling things that I assume are in German. I open the door as fast as I can to stop him from waking everyone else.

It's the soldier from this morning, the one that spoke our language. He has one hand around the arm of a very beaten up Gale.

"This is what happens to those who are outside after curfew" he says and pushes Gale inside before he turns to leave.

I quickly secure the covers on the windows and build a fire in the fireplace. I only saw his face in the light of the soldier's lamp. Now I can see that his clothes are torn, stained with blood and I fight my urge to look away.

"That bad, huh?" he means to laugh at my expression but he ends up grimacing in pain.

"Gale, what happened?" I whisper.

"I tried to hide in the woods, for the night, but since they're looking for Finnick and Johanna, they've extended their perimeter."

"Why wouldn't you just come home?" I ask.

"Wow, who smashed up your face?" Johanna interrupts.

"Who do you think?" Gale mutters.

"I should wake Prim." I say.

"No, let the poor kid rest, she's done more than enough for one day. I've been watching her with Finnick, I'm sure I'll be able to help Gale here." Johanna says.

The only useful thing I can do is explain to her what each remedy's for. I notice that she cleans the wounds almost as methodically as Prim.

Gale is soon taken care of, top to bottom I might add, and ready for bed. His initial plan was to sleep on the floor but neither Johanna nor I want to hear it. He reluctantly lies down in Johanna's bed, right next to Finnick.

"It looks like a hospital wing in here" Prim says as she hands Gale a bowl of soup, in the morning. She sits beside Finnick to help him eat his.

"Sorry…" Gale winces as he tries to get up.

"You'd better be…" Prim glares at him. "They could have shot you on sight!"

"Well, they didn't…"

"Well, there's always the next time." She says sarcastically.

Prim is right. With Gale, of course there's going to be a next time. At least she manages to get him to shut up and eat his soup for now. I'm thinking I should go hunting today.

"Katniss, no!" Prim protests when I put on my hunting clothes. "It's too dangerous!"

"We are running out of supplies, little duck." I say. She knows I'm right. With two extra mouths to feed I have to get lucky today.

I find two rabbits in Gale's snares and I shoot a wild turkey, but I decide not to carry much more weight. I should probably try to gather some firewood. We're low on that too, what with the fireplace burning almost day and night for the last few days.

I get home as soon as possible, but thanks to the distance I now have to walk for game I only make it back shortly before curfew.

"Katniss!" Prim greets me before I enter the house. "You have to see this!" At least she looks excited.

I leave the wood by the already burning fire and dump my hunting bag on the table before she pulls my hand into our room.

"Hello, Katniss" Finnick says. He's still lying down, his voice is weak but he manages to give me a smile. "I haven't properly introduced myself. I am Finnick Odair. Thank you for your hospitality."

"Hello Finnick. Thank you for not dying on us. How are you feeling?"

"Like I might actually have a chance, thanks to your sister."

"Yup, she's that good." I wink at her. "I expect to see you up and walking in a few days." I tell him.

"You have great expectations, I see." he observes.

"And she's not used to people failing them, so if I were you, I'd start eating, my friend. You'll need the energy." Gale says.

Having two more people in the house makes it too crowded. I feel like we're using up the air too fast and I find myself waiting in lines again, just to have an excuse to run out. Just as well, people have started talking again, wandering what we've been eating for the past few days. Apparently they find it extremely difficult or completely unnecessary to mind their own business.

"At least you can go outside…" Johanna says. She can sense that I am suffocating, no matter how hard I try to hide it. And she's right. At least I have the luxury of my freedom. Whatever kind of freedom I am allowed these days, anyway.

Under Prim's and Johanna's care, Gale and Finnick seem to have a pretty good recovery. All I can say for myself is that I've finally stopped vomiting at the sight of blood. At least that keeps Johanna from asking if I'm knocked up again and again.

Gale doesn't stay in the "hospital wing" for long, in spite of Prim's protests. He insists on going back to the woods. I can't blame him. Prim insists I keep an eye on him out there and I can't refuse the excuse to go back into the woods almost every day.

As we enter the dead zone, I notice leaflets spread on the ground, or stuck on trees.

"Resist the fascists" I read on one of them.

"They're all like that" Gale says. "Nazis do not belong here" he reads on another.

"No more hunger", "No more poverty" and "Join the fight, join the Resistance" are few of the messages.

I glance at Gale. I can see his eyes sparkling with excitement. I can see the old Gale, the young hunter full of life. I've missed this guy, but I'm not glad he's back. Because I know this guy. And he likes looking for trouble.

I say nothing about the leaflets that evening and Gale follows my example, but when the lights go out and he thinks I'm asleep next to my sister, I hear him speak with Finnick and Johanna.

"Any idea who made them?" Johanna asks.

"No. My first thought was that someone from the town must have done it." Gale says.

"Your people don't seem very rebellious." Finnick joins in. "What? I haven't heard you guys speak about any trouble in town."

"There were some people, at first…" Gale explains. "They tried to stand up to the intruders. They were all tortured and executed. After that everyone went numb. Besides, we don't have the numbers to go up against them, half the town's population was killed in a bombing a couple of days after Coin was murdered."

"Yeah, they must have done that to all the districts…" Johanna says.

"Why the woods, though? Why not somewhere more crowded?"

"I don't know… it's not just me and Katniss that go there. It's a few of us, actually. Maybe whoever created them hopes that we will spread the word."

So, that's what he's planning to do? Spread the word? Begin an uprising? What does he expect, to chase them away or to kill them all?

The next time we go hunting, the woods are clear of any rebellious evidence. "They're fast." Gale mutters.

I can hear the disappointment in his voice. I don't respond to his comment. I'm not exactly unhappy that all of it is gone.

My relief doesn't last long. When I reach the hollow tree where we've hidden our weapons, I gasp.

"Gale?" I call cautiously. I show him a pillowcase that is lying there underneath our bows and arrows. I quickly throw my quiver on my shoulder and prepare an arrow. I stand guard as Gale examines the contents of the pillowcase, looking around us, alert for any sign that we're not alone.

"Katniss, you have to see this" he says. I look hesitantly, not wanting to drop my guard. The pillowcase is full of those leaflets we saw the other day.

Gale fills his hunting bag with them.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Somebody must have left them for us. Why else would they hide them with our weapons?" He points out. And he's probably right. Whoever left them here clearly wasn't trying to conceal are too many hiding places in this forest, most of them probably unknown to locals.

"You know we're both dead if they find those on us, right?" I point out. I'm wasting my words. Of course he knows.

"Which is why you're going home before I do" he announces.

"What? No!" I shriek.

"Shut up, will you? You're scaring off game."

"What are you planning to do with them?" I ask.

"Nothing. I just can't leave them here and I don't want to risk getting both of us killed." He explains.

I have no choice but to do as he says. I check the snares, gather some roots and go home. I try to keep myself busy so that I won't worry about Gale. He did, after all, promise that he'd be back before curfew. Gale keeps his promises. Only this time, he doesn't.


	7. Judgement

**Chapter 6 - judgement**

At dinner we are exceptionally quiet. No one has asked about Gale's whereabouts and I haven't volunteered any information.

Time goes by, it's past curfew, it's time to turn off the lights but Gale is nowhere to be seen. Finnick and Johanna are safely hidden in my old bedroom and I convince my sister to go to sleep as well, but I can't follow my own advice. I keep pacing in the dark, hitting furniture as I walk but I don't pay attention to the pain. At some point I hear footsteps, and I know it is Finnick because he still has to drag his feet when he walks. He finds his way into a chair.

"You know, you're driving Johanna crazy" he tells me.

I immediately sit down.

"Smart girl" he chuckles. "You'd better not get on her bad side."

"Yeah I've figured this much out already." I admit.

"And you haven't seen anything yet. The woman is crazy." He mutters.

"You know I can hear you, right?" Johanna says, amused.

It is long past midnight and I've already convinced Finnick that I don't need him to stay up with me several times by the time Gale decides to return home.

"Where the hell have you been?" I hiss.

"What are you doing up so late?" he asks, ignoring my question.

"You promised you'd be back before curfew!" I accuse him.  
"Is everyone else…" he begins to ask.

"Asleep." I interrupt him. "Again, where the hell have you been?"

"I got rid of them… the leaflets." He says. I can hear excitement in his voice. That can't be good.

"What did you do?" I ask suspiciously.

"What was expected of me… I spread them out. Under doors, on the streets…" he explains.

"Are you insane? What if they had caught you? Do you realize what they would have done to you? To us?"

"I was careful… Do you really think I'd risk them coming here again?"

"But you did." I say accusingly. "Last time they beat the hell out of you. Next time they'll just kill you."

"I'm not afraid of them." He says.

"Clearly…" I mutter bitterly.

I leave him alone and lie beside my sister. He needs to realize how much is at stake. Last thing we need right now is him making a habit out of putting himself in danger.

When the sun rises I can see that Gale is in no mood of going to the woods, so I decide to make myself busy in town.

I immediately notice that something is different. People are talking hurriedly in small groups; they seem intrigued if not excited. The Nazis wear a more serious expression that usual; I can tell they are angry and frustrated. They probably have someone to answer to for the mess Gale caused. Did something good come out of last night? Or are they going to simply make the entire town pay for it?

Despite my anger and worry about his reckless behavior, I can't help being proud of him either. If a few leaflets can make a difference, who knows what something a bit more active would do. I shake the thoughts out of my head as I see Haymitch approach. His unsteady walking and the stupid smile on his face indicate that he's drunk.

"Katniss!" he waves at me.

"Good morning Haymitch." I say eyeing him warily. "Lost another patient?" I lower my voice.

He shakes his head. "Everyone dies in the end. How are your visitors by the way?" he asks naturally.

I look around me but no one seems to be paying attention to us. "Could you be any louder?" I hiss.

"Oops!" he says and hiccups at the same time.

"They're ok." I whisper quickly. "Can you go home by yourself?"

"I'm not going home. I have to work." He says.

"Oh, no, not like this." I shake my head.

"What's the difference?" he asks and I'm afraid he'll start crying. "They all die in the end."

"Give yourself some credit, will you? You helped Posy… and Finnick…" I whisper the last two words.

"Your sister helped them."

"My sister may be capable, but she doesn't have your experience. She couldn't have done more than you to help them." I point out.

We stand there in awkward silence for a while before he decides to break it. He pulls something out of his pocket.

"Did you see this?" he hands it to me. It's a piece of paper, the kind Gale spread last night.

I take it from him and quickly crumple it in my hand.

"Are you trying to get us in trouble?" I hiss.

"They need to go… they have to get the hell out of here… or they will all die… all of us will die…"

"Katniss, is everything ok?" Peeta approaches us. Perfect. I tighten my fist around the leaflet.

"Dr. Abernathy, here, is having some issues that your friends could easily solve."

It takes Haymitch a few seconds to focus on who it is that I'm talking to. "You traitor!" he yells once he does. "You bastard, it's your fault these people are dying…"

I grab Haymitch's arm to make him stop talking. No one wants the Mellarks turning against the only doctor in town.

"That's a little harsh, don't you think?" Peeta says.

"Anything we can help you with?" I ask with a hint of sarcasm.

"I'm impressed, Katniss, you haven't been that nice to me in a long time." He raises a brow.

"I'm not being nice, Peeta, you should really learn the difference between that and sarcasm now that you're a big boy. Besides, you haven't given me a reason to be nice to you in a long time." I reply.

He quickly reaches for my hand, the one that's holding the crumpled paper, and releases it from my fingers. He examines it for a moment.

"You know, Katniss, I am trying very hard to keep you alive. You're not helping me much." He waves the leaflet in front of my face.

"That's mine" Haymitch admits. "Go ahead, get me arrested."

"I was thinking I should escort you home, doctor. You don't look very well." Peeta says.

"I'm not going anywhere with you, traitor!"

"It's ok, Haymitch, I'll come with you." I say because I don't really trust Peeta with him.

"Aw, isn't she the sweetest?" Peeta beams at me.

"She takes that from her mom." Haymitch puts an arm over my shoulders. I'm sure he meant it to be a protective gesture but all he manages to do is throw us both off balance and I almost fall.

We manage to take him to his house and when we finally lay him down on his couch he's already passed out. I turn him on his side and put a glass of water on the coffee table.

"I don't know what else I can do." I admit.

Peeta closes the door behind us and he follows me to the center of the town.

"Where are you going?" he asks.

"Home" I say.

"Why did you come into town?" he asks again.

Why did I really? Before I have the chance to think of an answer to give, I notice an old lady passing by us. "Whore" she mutters.

"What did you say?" Peeta grabs her arm.

"Peeta…" I begin to say. The last thing I need is him defending me in public.

"She's a whore. She lives with a man out of marriage and strolls with a traitor. Do have a problem accepting the truth, young man?" she says louder now.

"The truth I can handle. Some old bitches like yourself that don't know how to keep their mouths shut, I can't."

"Peeta, let it go." I say. My voice comes out more authoritarian than I intended, but it seems to serve me well. Peeta releases her arm.

"You owe her your life." He points at me.

The old woman walks away muttering things under breath but I don't let Peeta hear her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I yell.

"She insulted you. And me. I don't know why she's not in the Nazis' headquarters right now." He seems furious.

"Since when is the death penalty a proper punishment for insults?"

"Seriously?" he stares at me. "I'm trying to defend your reputation here. And you insist I'm not giving you reasons to be kind to me."

"As long as you're friends with the enemy, Peeta, you give me no reason to even be polite. You can tell your friends I said that, by the way." I say and his expression changes. He seems more composed now.

"You know, they're people too." He says. "With families and feelings. Do you think they enjoy being in a country where everybody hates them? Away from their loved ones?"

"If they don't like it here, then they should pack their bags and leave."

"It's not that simple… besides, they're right about at least one thing…" Peeta hesitates.

"Which is?"

"That this place needs a change… in politics, in ideology… Don't think for one second that president Coin wasn't corrupted."

"And President Snow is clean?" I raise a brow. Our current president rose to power only days after the invasion.

"He's the best they could find. Not many people are willing to give them a chance."

"They shouldn't stay here and put up with that, if they're having a hard time." I shrug.

"Says the girl who just let the woman that called her a whore go…" Peeta mutters. "Why did you do that, really?"

"Because I believe she had the right to express her opinion without being punched in the face."

"But she insulted us."

"Peeta, I don't need them to like me. Only my family matters to me. Besides, whether I marry Gale or throw him out, I'll always be a whore to these people. Just like you'll always be a traitor, even if you do realize what kind of monsters you're dealing with and ditch them. If you truly believe that what you do is right, you will not let them affect you."

"Are you going to marry him?" he asks looking a little devastated.

"Out of everything I just said, that's what got your attention?" I shake my head. "Can't say that it hasn't crossed my mind." I wink at him. Well, it hasn't, but I kind of enjoy the hint of torment in his expression. It works even better than I expected, since he just leaves without saying anything.

"Should have thought of that earlier…" I mutter as I take my usual route home.

I can see the question in Gale's eyes the moment I enter the kitchen, but he doesn't dare ask anything in front of Prim. I tell them about the doctor and she offers to go check on him.

"You have until one hour before curfew before I go out looking for you, ok?" I kiss her forehead.

"So?" he asks when Prim is safely away.

"Not much… a bunch of angry Nazis, a few intrigued people…" I shrug.

"Well, it's better than nothing." he smiles. "Did something else happen? You don't look very well."

"Just saw Mellark…" I say indifferently.

"And you're not glad you saw your boyfriend?" he asks in amusement.

"Don't!" I warn him.

"Care to tell us what's going on?" Johanna peeks from my bedroom door.

Gale and I go sit with them, between the two beds and we explain about the leaflets.

"It's a good start…" says Johanna.

"It's going to get him killed…" I mutter.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence!" Gale chuckles.

"Would you like me to pretend I agree with your actions? I think you're taking a risk… one that compromises the girls as well." I tell him.

"No, I'd like you to let me do what I think is right. I can't raise my sister under these circumstances. I owe this much to my parents. And so do you."

"What you owe to your parents is to stay alive and try to raise your sister to be a good person. And so do I." I correct him.

"I am disappointed" he shakes his head at me. "The Katniss I knew was fierce and fearless."

"The Katniss you knew was not responsible for children, she had parents for that!" I raise my voice and Posy starts crying.

"You two are upsetting the baby!" Johanna scolds us as she lifts Posy from the floor.

"It's not that I don't want to fight." I turn to Gale, calmer now. "I just can't risk leaving Prim alone. She's not ready yet, not old enough. And neither is Posy. Obviously."

Gale nods but says nothing. I don't know if he's mad at me or not and I don't want to discuss it any further. I have enough to worry about already. I busy myself around the house, play with Posy, even check Finnick's wounds but that doesn't keep me from looking out the window every now and then.

I am about to go looking for Prim when I spot two figures approaching the house. I can tell one of them is my sister.

"Quickly, hide" I tell our guests when I realize who's walking by her side. It's Peeta.

I open the door before they knock. "What took you so long?" I pull Prim inside. "What are you doing here?" I look at Peeta.

"The town is not a safe place for a young lady like Primrose." He says simply.

"What happened?"

"I was walking home when these soldiers started teasing me…" Prim begins to explain.

"Did they hurt you?" I ask.

"No! They were just being rude… Peeta appeared and asked them to leave me alone." She says.

"Just like that?" I look at him in disbelief.

"Well, they do owe me some favors…" Peeta shrugs.

Oh, I know all about those favors. God knows how many people were tortured because of you.

"Thank you." I mutter.

His eyes widen for a second. "You are capable of behaving like a normal human being after all!"

I slam the door right in his face.

"I don't know what's going on between you two but it's starting to become weird." Prim shrugs.

"How's Haymitch?" I ask.

"He's ok… he was still passed out when I got there but he's sober now. I want to talk to you about something." she says hesitantly both to me and Gale.

Gale and I look at each other, worried.

"I don't how much you know about Dr. Abernathy…" she begins.

"Not much…" Gale mutters and I nod.

"He's been drinking a lot lately… and the reason behind that is that he's losing patients due the lack of medication…"

"That much I've figured out" I interrupt.  
"Yeah, well, even when he had the medication, he depended a lot on mother… now that she's not here to help he's been facing even more problems… so he's asked me to go work with him." she lowers her head. "He says he can't pay me much and I know I am needed around the house…"

"Do it." Gale says.

Prim looks at him in surprise.

"Prim, I know it's because of my sister that you have to stay in the house…" he starts.

"Gale I love Posy like my own sister, I never saw her as a burden…"

"I know, but this is as close to an opportunity as you may ever get; do it. You can learn a lot, you can build a future…" Gale continues.

"Katniss?" Prim asks a bit more confident now.

"I think between the two of us" I point Gale and myself "we can handle Posy. I am proud of you." I kiss her head. "Mom and dad would be too" I whisper in her ear.

"You're going to have to fight now." Gale mutters to me. "She has a good opportunity, you owe it to her to make sure she's not wasting her time."

"Good call" Johanna winks at Gale from the other room.

"We'll help with the baby too for as long as we stay here" Finnick says seriously.

I can see the joy in my sister's face even though she tries to remain serious. It's the first time in months that I see her smile even in her sleep.


	8. Lost and found

**Chapter 7 – lost and found**

If I valued my sister's presence before, now I realize even more how helpful she's been since my mother died. She spends the biggest part of her days with the doctor visiting patients, mixing herbs and studying textbooks. She's the last to go to sleep and the first to wake up. She has started creating files for all their patients including their medical histories, family histories and making notes of her own on their individual health problems. I realize the number of files she has created is enough to cover most of the surviving citizens of the district. Health is indeed a luxury these days.

Gale and I have come up with a system so that we're both able to get out of the house and get things done. I notice that the days he has to go into town he's even more agitated than usual. Sometimes he comes back long after curfew which sends me pacing up and down the dark kitchen, driving everybody else crazy. Tonight, however, it is me that is out late.

I have been hiding in the woods all day, waiting for the darkness that promises to conceal me. My hunting bag has very little game in it. On the bottom of it I have carefully placed twelve guns and a collection of bullets that I found lying underneath my weapons in the forest. I have no idea who left them there; the only thing I know for sure is that they're supposed to be delivered to a house in town. The owner of the house is an old lady that used to work as a cook at my old school. I can't imagine what Greasy Sae wants to do with them and I can't shake the idea that this may be a trap out of my head.

I wait for the bell in the square to announce midnight before I knock her door, just like the note with the instructions said. At first no one comes, the door doesn't open until I am about to leave.

"Are you going to keep them all to yourself?" I hear the familiar voice of the old lady.

"It looked like you were not going to answer the door." I tell her.

She gestures me to go inside and I do. She looks so much thinner and the temperature in her living room does not differ much from the one outside. It is only then that I notice that she's wearing a lot of clothes.

"Cozy, isn't it?" she chuckles as she takes the bag of my shoulder.

In the light of a single candle I see her empty its contents. Her eyes widen momentarily at the sight of the meat. She counts the weapons and the bullets.

"Your boyfriend brought twelve more the other day." she winks at me. "I was expecting Gale tonight, too, that's why I didn't answer the door immediately. Is he ok?"

"Yeah" I say, too tired to even address the comment on our relationship status. "He just spent the day with his sister."

She puts the game back in the bag and walks me to the door. I take a rabbit out and give it to her.

"I don't really need that." I say.

"Thank you" she whispers and kisses my forehead. "Be careful."

Getting to my house seems much more difficult than the last time I was out this late. Is it me or have they increased their night patrol guards? Twice I have to hide behind dumpsters and once I even go in. Well, they're pretty much empty now that nothing goes to waste. Eventually I reach my home to find Gale, Finnick and Johanna waiting for me in the dimly lit kitchen.

"At least she suffers in silence" Johanna points at me as I close the door behind me. She looks irritated.

"Where have you been?" Gale yells. "You've been gone the entire day!"

"The girls?" I ask calmly.

"Asleep." Gale says.

"Not for long if you keep yelling" Finnick mutters.

"Had a taste of your own medicine?" I chuckle.

"Katniss, this is not funny. Where were you?" he insists.

I give him the note with the instructions.

"Why didn't you come to me?" Gale asks.

"What difference does it make? The job is done." I shrug.

"It could have been a trap, you could have been caught!"

"I took my chances."

"Dude, she really did give you a taste of your own medicine!" Johanna says and I think I detect impression in her voice. Now _that_ is flattering.

Finnick takes the note from Gale's hand and examines it.

"Gale" he says slowly. "Have you ever met the person that leaves you these things?"

"Never." Gale shakes his hand. "I always find whatever it is that they want me to deliver under our weapons in the woods. Why?"

"This is Annie's handwriting." Finnick gives it to Johanna.

"Your wife?" I ask. He nods.

"Are you sure?" Johanna asks hesitantly.

"I recognize it. Not many things about Annie I wouldn't recognize." Finnick says.

Johanna throws the crumbled paper in the fireplace.

"No need for evidence." She mutters.

We all just stand there and wait for Finnick to process this new piece of information. None of us know what to tell him.

"Can you give her a letter?" Finnick asks Gale.

"All I can do is leave it with the weapons and hope she finds it."

"It's better than nothing…" Finnick mutters.

A few days pass before Finnick's letter disappears and a few more until I get a response for him. As I approach the tree, I see an unfamiliar figure waiting for me. A young woman with brown hair and green eyes.

"You're Katniss" she says in a slightly dreamy voice; I can't help wondering if she's completely sane.

"Thanks for the information" I mutter. "And you are?"

"My name is Annie Cresta. I am the one leaving you instructions with your weapons. You and your friend have been of great help to us."

"Gale left you a little something, too, the other day." I get to the point immediately.

"Yes, I have Finnick's letter, thank you for that. Is he alright?" there is real concern in her eyes but I can't stop accusing her of abandonment in my head.

"Alright is not exactly how I'd put it. He's been hurt, both physically and emotionally. He thought you were dead." I say accusingly.

"I am aware that I've hurt him. I just thought he would be safer if he didn't know where I was." She lowers her eyes.

Well, that makes sense.

"You should come see him." I suggest. What am I thinking, inviting a complete stranger in my house?

"Believe me, there is nothing I want more. And maybe I will, if I am welcome. But not tonight."

"Why not tonight?" I narrow my eyes.

"Something will happen tonight. You and Gale are not to leave the house after curfew. We need you to stay out of suspicion."

"Who's 'we'?"

"I am not alone here." Annie explains. "I will not tell you details, for your safety and ours. Hunt today, go home before dark and don't leave your house. Don't come back in the woods for a few days either. I will hide your weapons in case they expand their search this far. When things calm down, I will come visit you."

I have no choice but to follow her orders. I hurry back home and tell them everything I learned from Annie.

I can see the anticipation in Finnick's eyes. "Is she alright?" is the only thing he asks when I'm finished.

"She looked healthy." I avoid looking his eyes. I can barely keep myself from telling him that I think his wife is crazy.

That night only Posy manages to get some sleep, and that is only because Gale has her secured in his arms. We are gathered in my former bedroom sitting on the floor between the two beds in a tight embrace to keep ourselves warm and reassured. The deafening sounds that seem to be coming from the central square have reached my home, frightened my sister and frozen my blood.

"Sounds like gunshots" Finnick whispers in the dark and even then I understand that his voice is trembling. I just realize that he and Johanna are having a far worse time than we are. We stay like that until the sirens mark the end of curfew.

Even though I didn't get any sleep during the night, I am full of energy.

"I'll go into town, find out what happened." I announce and I leave before anyone has the chance to protest.

I rather sprint than walk the distance between my house and the town.

"They're not giving away anything today, they have bigger problems." I come face to face with Peeta. Again. I notice he's holding a cane.

"What happened to you?" I ask.

"Oh, thank you for your concern. I got injured."

"But even that doesn't keep you inside for just one morning, does it?" I give him a sarcastic smile.

"You try living with my family. You'd grow wings if that were the only way to get out for a while."

"How did you get injured?"

"Haven't you heard? Some people helped prisoners escape yesterday. They even had weapons. Took down seventeen soldiers and injured ten more."

Good. "And you had to go help them, didn't you?" I raise my brow.

"Aw, you don't have to worry about me, sweetheart, you're not going to lose me!" he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Is that a threat?" I slap his hand.

"Come on, Katniss, if you didn't care, why are you so worried about me?"

"I'm not worried, Peeta, I am asking out of pure curiosity."

"Whatever makes you happy." He shrugs, making it obvious that he does not believe me.

"So, did they manage to escape?" I ask, desperate to take the attention off him.

"Yes." He says in a low voice. "Seven prisoners managed to escape, the rest were shot at sight."

He leads me towards the school, where I can see soldiers digging a hole in the yard.

"That's where the rest of them are going." Peeta says.

"How can you tolerate these people?" I mutter.

"Like you just said, they're people. And they lost their friends yesterday. Show some compassion, will you?" Peeta looks at me angrily.

"Those prisoners that they're about to throw in that hole were people, too, you know. With families and friends and your friends destroyed all that." I hiss but he doesn't have the chance to answer. His leg trips and he ends up lying on the ground, face down, unable to prevent a scream of pain escape his lips.

"Are you hurt?" I ask. Stupid question.

"Nothing I didn't already have. I would appreciate a hand, though."

I have no choice but to help him up and take him back home. I knock the door and the witch opens it instantly. Her eyes widen at the sight of her son resting most of his weight on me.

"I told you not to go out today!" she yells. "Get inside!" She pulls him in the house.

She looks at me with despise. "My son doesn't deserve someone like you…" she spits.

"Well, I have been trying to convince him that I'm too good for him, but he won't hear it. Maybe he'll listen to his own mother." I give her a wide fake smile. I swear I hear him chuckle before she slams the door shut.

"Glad I amuse you." I mutter to myself.


	9. Devotion

**Chapter 8 - devotion**

It has been a few days since the incident with the prisoners and we haven't heard from Annie. I don't dare go into the woods just yet. Gale insists that we're running out of supplies, but he knows we can't risk it, too. We've been watching Nazi's arriving at the dead zone almost every morning to search for the prisoners. I can only hope that at least Annie has kept her promise to hide our weapons, otherwise the entire town could end up dead.

Today I've stayed home with Posy and our guests while Gale is waiting in lines for the scrapes of goods they allow us. Around noon he walks in the kitchen, clearly furious.

"What happened?" I say.

"They're bringing more soldiers in." he throws a bag of beans on the table.

"That's the second time this week." Finnick says. "That's good."

"Good?" Gale narrows his eyes at him.

"It means they haven't caught those who helped the prisoners escape yet. Which probably means that Annie is fine."

Of course. Annie. She is the only subject he's willing to discuss these days.

"Finnick…" Johanna begins.

"I know, I know!" Finnick interrupts. "I won't get my hopes up, I don't know her involvement in all this and I don't know where she stands when it comes to our relationship. You have to understand though, this woman agreed to marry me once, despite her parents' disapproval, she claimed that she loved me and I certainly love her. So forgive me for caring about the well-being of my wife!"

No one knows how to respond to that. Except for maybe Annie Cresta, who happens to knock our door that same night.

It's late and we've all gone to sleep when I hear Gale answer the door.

"Who are you?" he asks suspiciously.

I get up and light a candle to see what's going on.

"Gale…" I say slowly. "Let her in. This is Annie Cresta."

He steps aside for her to come in and closes the door quickly. "I'm going to wake up Finnick." He says before he disappears in my old bedroom.

"You said I could visit Finnick." Annie says.

"I did. He's been waiting for you." I reply as he walks in the kitchen. "I'll give you two some privacy. You can stay here tonight."

I don't expect Annie to give us information any time soon, so I decide to let her and Finnick catch up. This tiny house of mine seems to be sheltering so many people these days that I feel like I'm going to suffocate. There isn't even enough room for us to sleep. Gale seems uncomfortable at the idea that Johanna may be sharing his floor, in order to leave the couple alone for the night, so I give her my spot and lie by Gale's side.

In the morning I wake up trapped in his arms. He's sleeping so heavily that he doesn't even notice me pushing him on his back to free myself and get up.

"Aw, you two looked adorable!" Johanna whispers.

"Shut up…" I mutter and go outside to get some fresh air. I notice some soldiers pass by my house but no one pays attention to me. No open windows for us today either. Even our breakfast will have to be well hidden, what with all the 'criminals' I'm harboring. A slice of home-made bread and a cup of tea is all I can provide.

"They stopped sending search parties in our direction a couple of days ago but I had to make sure before I came here." Annie says. "They've been expecting to find them in the forest, like that's going to happen. We put them on a train to the Capitol as soon as we could."

"You did what?" I shriek.

"Louder, Katniss." Johanna mutters.

"It's safer than you think. There's an entire underground network that is planning a rebellion against the Nazis' over there. We are planting people everywhere. Their transportation, their communication, their bases… We're trying to infiltrate their systems, find out their weaknesses and fire up the people against them. That's where you fit in." Annie explains.

"How did you get involved with that?" Johanna asks.

"I was approached by someone in my district. They needed someone for an undercover mission in district two."

"And the word 'trap' did not even occur to you." Johanna raises a brow.

"It was someone we knew and trusted." Finnick says defensively.

"How many of you are here?" Gale asks.

"I am here with a woman from the Capitol and a man from district three. Two people from district eleven were killed the night of the escape." Her voice cracks and Finnick puts an arm around her shoulders. "We have more operatives like you in town. I will not tell who they are, for your safety and theirs." She continues.

"Where have you been staying all this time?" I ask.

"In the woods, in a shelter. I will not tell you where exactly."

"It seems like you don't trust us that much." Johanna observes.

"I can't know for sure how much you can keep to yourself while being tortured. Unless you'd like me to test your tolerance to excruciating pain, I will not risk giving you unnecessary but sensitive information." Annie tells her.

There is something about the way she explains things, honesty and confidence in her words. Even though I initially thought she was insane, I find it very difficult to doubt anything she says and I think I can say the same for Gale.

When the night falls again she announces that she has to leave.

"Thank you for your hospitality" she tells me and Gale.

"I'm coming with you." Finnick says instantly.

"No, Finnick, you've been hurt. You haven't fully recovered. You may not have the chance if you come to stay with me. You may even put everyone else in danger." Annie shakes her head. I can see the sadness in her eyes. I can also see the disappointment in his eyes, but he knows she's right.

"I'll write to you, then. Until I get better. And then I can come find you." Finnick plants a kiss on her lips. This moment is so simple but seems so private that I have a desperate need to leave the room.

"We will come find you." Johanna tells her and I have the feeling it is more of a threat than a promise.

"I will stay in touch with you. Tomorrow morning your weapons will be in their usual place." Annie promises.

"You didn't like her very much, did you?" I mutter to Johanna.

"I don't trust her." she replies in a low voice. "Finnick was a mess; he was convinced she was dead, while she was out there probably having the time of her life."

"I don't think she's exactly having the time of her life, Johanna, she's a fugitive, just like you." I point out.

"No, not just like me. She has the liberty of going out, seeing the sky, breathing in fresh air!" she hisses. "Not that I'm not grateful for your little hole, but I miss the outdoors."

"I know what you mean. I feel like I'm suffocating after a few hours in this place." I shake my head in horror.

"Finnick?" I hear Prim's gentle voice. He's sitting on the floor, his face buried in his hands.

"Finnick, you'll see her again." She rests her hand on his shoulder.

"I should be with her. I should be able to protect her." he mutters.

"You can't do that right now. She's right about one thing, your best chance of getting well and joining her later is here. You are healing slowly as it is, if you lived like she does you would probably die from exhaustion, if not infection. You need to be patient."

There is a professional tone in her voice, the authority and confidence my mother had when she was speaking with a patient. It still surprises me that my sister can sound more mature and wise than all of us put together.

"The kid's right. You've gone without her long enough, a couple more weeks won't hurt." Johanna adds.

Nothing we say seems to comfort Finnick and he ends up spending the biggest part of his days laying on his bed, in the darkness of my room. Only Prim manages to get him to walk around for a bit, eat or drink, reminding him that he needs to take care of himself if he wants to see Annie again.

"If that's what everyone ends up being like, I never want to fall in love." Prim mutters one evening, when Finnick disappears in the other room right after dinner.

"With you, kid." Johanna agrees.

"Have you ever been in love?" Prim asks.

Johanna nods. "It can make someone miserable, even when war is not involved."

It looks like Prim wants to know more but it's clear that Johanna doesn't want to get into details, so I shake my head at her. Good thing she knows how to take a hint.


	10. Composure

**Chapter 9 - composure**

Both Gale and I keep doing 'chores' for Annie and her friends. We haven't seen her again but she seems to have figured out our schedule because I usually end up delivering things to Greasy Sae's house so that I can keep covering her needs in food and firewood while Gale does something more risky, like writing slogans on walls.

Many houses' walls have been destroyed by red paint and his horrible handwriting, but to our eyes, the town never looked better. Combined with the image of grumpy soldiers and even grumpier traitors, I am trying very hard to keep a stupid smile off my face. I actually feel like singing again, sometimes. Until I see them barging in the doctor's house, where I know my sister is.

"Hey!" I yell and start running towards them but someone pulls me back.

"They're pissed off as it is, you don't need to make things worse." Peeta whispers in my ear as he grabs my leads me away from them and stops just around the first corner. He squeezes me between himself and a wall and carefully tilts his head to see what is going on.

"What are you doing?" I begin to yell at him but he puts his hand over my mouth.

"Work with me, here, will you?" He says in a low voice.

"What is happening?" I whisper.

"They're leading the doctor and your sister out of the house."

"Why?"

"How would I know?"

"Oh, you mean, they don't tell you everything? Nice friends…" I mutter.

"You tell _your_ friends everything?" he raises a brow. "Because I was under the impression you didn't, the first time I visited your house."

"I tell my friends what I think is important."

"And I clearly don't make the cut…" he takes a step back and I can breathe again.

I look around the corner myselfbut I can barely make out their figures.

I follow them to the Justice Building and Peeta follows me.

"You are persistent, I'll give you that." I tell him.

"Don't you want to know what happened?" he asks and walks into the Justice Building like he owns the place.

All there is for me to do is wait, but the guards in the front door make me nervous so I decide to put some distance between them and myself. I end up sitting on the front porch of the house that belonged to the mayor of the town. It is empty now. He was the first to be executed here; he had denied the Nazis' access to the Justice Building. His daughter died from the same illness that killed my mother. Her mother committed suicide a few days after the death of her daughter. I usually try to avoid it, it reminds me too much of Madge. She was my other best friend at school. Since Gale is two years older than me I ended up attending every class with her company. Her absence is so vivid now that I can barely fight the tears that appear in my eyes. I will not give the fascists the opportunity to see me cry.

After what feels like a century I spot Peeta walking out of the Building and scanning the street for me. I wave at him as I get up.

"They're ok." he tells me.

"Did you see them?" I ask.

"No, they were busy."

"Doing what?" I ask suspiciously.

"Two soldiers were attacked last night and they're in a bad shape. Your sister and the doctor were simply required to help them." Peeta explains.

"And asking politely never occurred to them, right?"

"I don't know, Katniss, maybe that's not how they operate. The point is, as soon as the soldiers are better, your sister will be home."

"And if they don't get better?" I ask.

"They'll probably execute both her and the doctor." Peeta says simply. Well, that much I'd figured out. His tone still bothers me, though.

"How can you not see what kind of monsters you're hanging out with?" I ask in disgust.

"Katniss, it's not that simple."

"isn't it?"

"They're people too…" he begins to say, but I've heard that story before.

"So is Haymitch and so is my sister. She's an innocent child, for crying out loud! They're threatening to execute a child!"

"Primrose is not a child anymore, Katniss. She's a nurse, a very capable one I hear, and she's in there because she's working with the doctor. She understands and accepts that. A child wouldn't."

I hate it when he is making sense, but I'm too angry and frustrated to even acknowledge that. Besides, that is my little sister in there, no matter how mature she is.

"They're still innocent people, the only people in town that can help the sick and injured." I don't know why I'm wasting my time trying to reason with him. there's only so much he can do, even if he wants to help her.

"If one of them dies, they won't risk the possibility of an induced death going unpunished and they don't have to knowledge to verify it." Peeta says.

"They should find someone then. A doctor from another district."

"You really think they'd be allowed to go into so much trouble for two soldiers? It's just easier to make an example out of two citizens."

"How can you speak like that's the most natural thing in the world? You know what, don't answer. I can't even look at you right now."

I leave him hanging once again, in the middle of the square and I literally run home. I haven't realized that there are tears in my eyes until I find myself in Gale's arms. Today it's not Finnick that needs to be comforted. The day passes with me in hysteria and Johanna trying to keep Posy away from me. I've frightened the baby with my lack of self-control three times already. I keep checking the window, Gale runs into town to find out if they were released several times, but we have no news until we're not allowed to go out anymore. I lose all hope of ever seeing my little sister again. Despite everyone's instructions to lie down and get some sleep I end up pacing up and down in the kitchen, until I finally decide to go out for a walk.

"Where do you think you're going?" Gale asks.

"I won't go far, I promise, I'll stay close to the house. I just need some air."

I manage to take a few steps in the cold night before I start crying again and the world starts spinning. It becomes extremely difficult for me to breathe and my legs betray me.

Soon enough I hear Gale walking up to me and dropping on the ground, right next to me. He puts his arms around my shoulders.

"You should go inside." I whisper when I'm calm enough to speak.

"Not unless you're coming too." He tells me.

"If anyone comes up here…"

"What are they going to do, shoot us for being six feet away from our house?"

I'd like to say that he has a point, but there is no logic, no reasoning with those monsters.

We are still outside when the sirens mark the end of curfew. It is not until I see Prim climbing the hill that I find the courage the lift myself from the ground.

I run towards her and squeeze her in my arms.

"Are you alright?" I ask.

"Just a little tired. They wouldn't let us go home in the middle of the night."

"How nice of them" I say sarcastically.

We stay like that for a while, as I'm trying to convince myself that I'm not hallucinating. Prim is really safe.

"Katniss?" she says after a few minutes. "I really need to go inside."

I let her go and follow her in the house.

"You're not going back to work." I make the announcement in front of everyone. "You almost got killed today!"

"How about you discuss this when you'll both have had some rest?" Finnick suggests.

I don't think there is anything to discuss but after such an exhausting day the idea of sleep is very appealing.

I open my eyes and notice that it's getting dark. How long have I been asleep? I blink and focus on my hearing to locate the others.

"I understand she was worried…" Prim says. She must be in our old bedroom. "But I don't want to stop. This is the only thing I'm good at, the only thing I want to do in my life."

"I don't think she'll actually make you quit." Johanna says. "Just talk to her."

"I can't. Everything Katniss does is for me. Ever since dad died she hasn't made a single decision without considering how it will affect me. How can I tell her that I want to keep working despite the danger I'm putting myself in?"

"First of all, believe me, some of Katniss's actions are putting you in danger as well. Take me and Finnick for example. If they had found us here the day they searched the house all of you would have been dead, including the baby. She knew that when she decided to let us stay. Not to mention the fact that she invited two complete strangers in your home, in the first place." Johanna points out.

"Which we are very grateful for." Finnick adds.

"That's different. You guys were, and still are, in need of shelter. We were raised to help anyone who needed help. What kind of person would it have made her or Gale or me to leave you out to die that night?" Prim explains.

"Anyway" Johanna says after a short pause. "You need to understand that no one will ever think of listening unless you make yourself heard. You need to speak up. If you want something, you ask for it. Tell your sister that you don't want to stop. She may be worried about your safety, but it looks to me that she's worried about your happiness as well."

I've managed to quietly get out of bed and I am watching the conversation from the half-open door.

"Katniss, you're finally up!" Prim says when she notices me.

"Just in time, girl, we were just talking about you being a bitch to your sister." Johanna says.

"Johanna!" Finnick scolds her.

"Yeah, I heard some of it." I say. I turn to my sister. "Honestly, I meant every word. I don't want you going back there…"

"Katniss!" Prim interrupts me. "You do things that compromise your safety all the time… You know, I worry about you, too, every time you go hunting, or come home late or when I see you talking to Mellark. I never asked you to stop doing any of these things!"

"You didn't let me finish… I don't want you going back there… but the decision is yours. Yesterday couldn't have been fun, but if you want to do it again, I don't have the right to stop you. I will expect that you do not hesitate talking to me, from now on. I think I usually make it obvious that I'm open for discussion."

Johanna chuckles.

"You're not the life of the party either, Johanna, so shut it… Prim knows what I mean…" I say.

"I do… by the way, it was kind of fun!"

I look at my sister in astonishment.

"I mean, not the part where we had to work with weapons pointed at our heads. But you should have seen Dr. Abernathy. They had all this cool equipment and all sorts of medication and he was acting like a child that just got a new toy." Prim elaborates.

"I've been meaning to ask something." Finnick says. "Don't you have a hospital here?"

"We had a small health center, but it was destroyed by a bomb." I explain.

"Yes, and now they've turned a part of the Justice Building into a hospital wing. Dr. Abernathy says it's nothing major, but it's better than nothing."

"That's interesting…" Johanna mutters.

"Where's Gale?" I ask.

"In the woods." Prim says.


	11. Seduction

_hi there guys! I want to say again how grateful I am for your support... it means so much to me that you make time to read my story... someone asked me in the reviews about who Katniss is going to end up with, Gale or Peeta... I am really tempted to make a comment about Katniss's future, but we're a few chapters away from the end, so I'll just leave it to your imagination for now... to be honest, now that the question has been made, I am curious to see what you guys think will happen to Katniss... I am always interested in such speculations...  
_

 _ps. this chapter's title was NOT my idea, but I do like misleading you from time to time (muahahahaha)_

 **Chapter 10 - seduction**

Apparently my exhaustion is a little more extended than I thought because even though I've been asleep for the biggest part of the day I can't keep my eyes open by the time we have to turn off the lights. It's a good thing too, because Gale decides to come back home in the morning.

"I stayed over at a friend's…" he says when Johanna asks where he's been.

I raise my brow at him. Gale doesn't have many friends in town.

"Help me with the goat, Katniss?" he suggests.

"I was with Annie last night. She says they need numbers. Those bastards searched Greasy Sae's place last night. Good thing she has a well-hidden cellar. All they could find in her place was firewood and she insisted that she gathered that herself." He whispers once we're alone.

"What does she mean they need numbers? What for?" I ask.

"I don't know details, but she wants to know if Johanna is willing to leave Finnick behind and join them now."

"Isn't that something you should be discussing with Johanna?"

"You know her better. I don't know how to tell her. Besides, there's something else I need to talk to you about." Gale hesitates.

"I don't think any one of us knows Johanna." I shrug. "What else?"

"Annie wants you to keep Peeta busy tomorrow."

"She wants what?" I widen my eyes. "Why?"

"Well, the guy is the eyes and ears for those bastards. She wants to try and smuggle some stuff out of Greasy Sae's place in the middle of the day." He explains.

"Is she insane?"

"It's safer for Sae. She will be able to be away from her home while we get to work. And others will be creating some sort of diversion, as far as I know."

"You know Peeta is not the only friend they have in town."

"I know. More people are in on this operation than you think. Peeta is usually the one out and about all the time. I mean, doesn't the guy have a home?"

"Would you stay at home all day if you had the witch for a mother?"

"Aw, look at you defending him! This is why Annie wants you to keep him company." he flashes me a smile.

"First, I'm not defending anyone; I'm just pointing out the obvious. Second, why exactly does Annie want me specifically for the job?"

"She knows that he's interested in you."

"Gale, you told her that?"

"I thought it might be useful. And as you can see, it is."

"How am I going to keep him busy?"

"I don't know. Take a walk with him. Keep him away from Greasy Sae's and away from the forest."

"So what, I'll just walk up to him and make small talk? I mean, won't that be suspicious? I'm usually trying to avoid him!"

"Yes, and I can see how successful you've been so far" he laughs.

"Shut up." I frown.

"The guy is crazy about you. Trust me; if you show interest in spending time with him he'll probably be too busy drooling over you to suspect anything." He winks at me.

Johanna agrees to go find Annie tonight. She tries very hard to not show her excitement, for Finnick's sake, but it's impossible to ignore the light in her eyes; we'd never seen it before. Gale is supposed to take her to their shelter, but not before we exchange awkward goodbyes.

"At least now you have the room to yourself" I point out in a poor attempt to make him feel better once they're gone.

"Um… what about the other guy that lives here, the one who's been sleeping on the floor because of me?" Finnick asks, a bit amused.

"What kind of person does it make me that I forgot about that?" I look down and Finnick lets out a small laugh.

"Never question the kind of person you are, Katniss. I've never seen so much strength and concern coming from a teenage girl." He becomes serious now.

"Well, she's not a teenage girl anymore." Prim mutters.

"True, very true…" Finnick agrees. "You know, I met Annie when she was your age. She was very different from you."

"Different how?" I ask.

"Well, she was very cheerful. Playful. Charming."

"Was it love at first sight?" Prim asks.

"No, definitely not. She really annoyed me at first. I wasn't sure if she was just shallow and childish or if her attitude was just the act of a teenage rich girl." He chuckles.

"So, what happened? How did you change your mind?" Prim asks again, with more excitement.

"She made me realize that that's just who she was. She chose to see the bright side of life and she tried to make people to do the same. No act, no immaturity. Just her way of understanding the world." He explains.

"You'll go back to her, you know. All you need is a bit more time, to heal properly. You've beaten the odds enough already." Prim smiles.

The next morning I wake up and realize I'm nervous. Annie's planning on smuggling illegal items out of Greasy Sae's house literally in the middle of the day, my only job is to keep Peeta busy for a while so that he doesn't go anywhere near them and that is what I'm actually nervous about.

I spot him in the central square, talking to a bunch of soldiers. As if this couldn't be more uncomfortable. Still, I walk up to him.

"Peeta, can I talk to you?" I say ignoring the soldiers.

His eyes widen a little bit. "Sure, what's going on?"

"I mean, in private. Walk with me?" I start walking towards the school, the opposite direction of Sae's house.

It takes him a minute to realize what's happening but he soon catches up with me.

"So…" he says after some time. We've been walking for a while now and I haven't said a word. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"Right, yes. I just… I want to apologize for my behavior." I say. I can't believe I actually said that.

"Really?" he raises a brow. "You don't seem very sure about it."

"I mean it! All you've done lately is try to help me…" I am not good at this. "Which leads me to think that maybe the old Peeta might still be in there."

"The old Peeta?"

"Yeah, you know, the guy who was nice to everyone. Who was willing to help everyone, not just me. The guy who stood up for Delly Cartwright when she was being bullied and spent an entire day drawing for her entertainment."

"You remember that?" he smiles. "We were what, nine years old?"

"I think so. And, yes I remember. It was more than a few times that Madge and I found her crying in the restroom. Seeing somebody else be good to her too was nice."

"She was a very nice girl. She still is, actually." Peeta comments.

"Yes. In contrast with those bullies who haven't changed a bit. Or have they? You would know, you must see them all the time now that you're sharing the same political ideas." I snap.

He just looks at me, amused. I take a deep breath.

"Sorry. I didn't come here to do this. The thing is, even though I don't agree with your choices, it's none of my business and I shouldn't be rude to you. I really am grateful for your help."

"I want to do that. I want to help you. As much as I can. I don't like seeing you struggle."

"What are you hoping to get out of it? Do you expect me to change my mind or something?"

"What I'm hoping and what I'm expecting are two completely different things, Katniss. You know how I feel about you."

I nod. How am I even supposed to respond to that? My usual reaction would probably be a sarcastic comment, but I think that's not very suitable today.

"If I may ask…" he begins hesitantly when he realizes I'm not going to be the one to break the awkward silence. "Do I even have a chance with you?"

"You want the truth or something nice?"

"The truth please…"

"No… as much as I appreciate all you've done for me, I can't see myself getting involved with a fascist."

"Would the 'old Peeta' have a chance?"

"Maybe…" I shrug.

"Really?" he asks in disbelief.

"Why, did you think you're more charming now than ever before?"

"No… it's just that I never thought I had your attention before all this happened…"

"Probably because we were never friends… but I liked that version of you. You seemed genuinely good, not just polite. That's not something you get to see every day. To be honest, when you revealed whose side you're on, I thought it was a joke or something."

"You were not the only one, I can tell you that…" he chuckles.

And I'm out of things to say. I don't think enough time has passed. We've reached the mines now, though. At least it's going to take us a while to walk back into town.

"So, that's it?" Peeta asks.

"Is there something else you wanted to hear?" I shrug. He sees right through me.

"Why this sudden need for apologies? You're not planning on doing anything stupid, are you?"

"Like what?" I ask, slightly offended. I've been called many things… stupid was never one of them.

"I don't know, leave the district, kill yourself…" he shrugs.

"Leave the district..." I laugh. "Like I even have the option…"

"Would you leave if you could?"

"Probably… I mean, I'd like to see other places too, I've never travelled. I'd like to go somewhere I'm not reminded of my parents everywhere I look…"

"They were good people…" Peeta nods. "So… is it suicide then?"

"No!" I say fiercely. "That would never be an option!"

"I'm glad…" he mutters.

Once again, we find ourselves with nothing to say. At least now we're walking back into town and that keeps us occupied.

"I really enjoyed talking to you, today." He tells me when we're about to separate. He pulls me in a hug and kisses my cheek. I freeze.

"You don't like that very much, do you?" he says in a low voice.

"No" I shake my head.

"Sorry… oh, by the way, I forgot to say… apology accepted." He says with a canny smile and winks at me. For some reason I am irritated when I get home.

"Hey, how was your date?" Finnick asks.

"It was not a date." I mutter.

"Ok… whatever… how was it?" he insists.

"Awkward…"

"May I ask what you talked about?"

"Not if you value your safety…"

"Someone's in a good mood" he glares at me.

"Is Gale back yet?" I change the subject.

"No… but I don't think we should worry… I mean even if they did get everything out of that house, they probably need to walk a while to get wherever it is they'll hide them."

I know he has a point but I can't stop myself from worrying and I can't slow down. I try doing some chores around the house, I cook, I make the beds, I rearrange my mother's trunk, I even take Prim's goat for a walk by the time Gale comes home, just in time for dinner.

"What happened?" I ask as soon as he walks into the kitchen.

"Everyone's ok. The job's done. You don't need to know more just yet." He shrugs.

I hate that 'need to know' thing.

"I heard there was something going on in town, some sort of attack?" Prim asks.

"Annie had people create a diversion, you know, something to throw them off." He explains. "No traitors around either, good job on your part."

"Thanks…" I mutter.

"Told you he'd bite" he winks at me.

"I'm not so sure…"

"Why? What happened?"

"Nothing happened… I just had the feeling that he wasn't buying it." I look down.

"What did you talk about?" Gale asks.

"Ooh, I wouldn't go there, man, she gets sensitive." Finnick tells him.

"Why, Katniss? What did he do?" Gale insists.

"He didn't do anything… I just don't think I was successful, that's all." I explain.

"Well, he didn't show up at Sae's, so I think you should give yourself some credit."

The subject is finally dropped and I try very hard not to show my relief. The rest of the evening goes by with small talk and jokes. Gale's good mood is contagious. I decide to forget my disastrous conversation with Mellark and enjoy the fact that I don't have to worry about any member of my family, at least for tonight.


	12. Evasion

**Chapter 11 – evasion**

"Katniss" I hear a whisper. I open my eyes, dazed, and blink to the sight of the morning light. I see Gale sitting on the bed, by my side.

"Get dressed. We have to go." he tells me quickly.

"Go where?"

"The woods."

He leaves the room to give me some privacy. It takes me a few minutes to get up, as slowly as I can so that I won't wake my sister and Posy. She doesn't have to go to work today, she deserves to get some sleep. I put on my only pair of pants, a shirt and my father's hunting jacket.

"So, why so early today?" I ask Gale as I'm throwing my hunting bag over my shoulder.

"We've got some work to do."

It is obvious that he doesn't want to speak while we're still in the house and I don't ask any further questions. We take our usual route through the dead zone to the place where we're hiding our weapons, we arm ourselves but Gale doesn't let me hunt.

"We need those only for protection today, Catnip." He mutters.

"Gale, what's going on?" I ask but he raises a hand to stop me.

We are walking on unfamiliar ground and I'm not feeling very comfortable. In the distance I can see a small wooden shelter. It seems to be where we're going. Gale goes in without knocking the door, so I don't expect to actually find someone inside.

"Missed me, girl?" Johanna greets me.

"Welcome, Katniss." Annie shakes my hand. "It's good to see you again."

I notice a middle-aged man and a slightly younger woman standing at the corner.

"This is Beetee" Johanna points at the man. "He's a genius or something. And this is Effie. She's from the Capitol. I don't really know what she does." She continues pointing at the woman.

"It is so nice to finally meet you, Katniss." She says with her Capitol accent.

"We've heard so much about you" Beetee nods with a smile.

"Can't say the same, I'm afraid." I smile shyly.

"That would be my fault." Annie jumps in. "I asked Gale not to say anything."

"What changed your mind?" I ask.

"Let's wait for the others, shall we?" Annie suggests.

"The others?" I mutter to Gale.

"People like us." He explains quickly.

While we wait Beetee pulls Gale in a conversation about traps and snares and I find myself sitting in a corner, feeling uncomfortable.

"So, Johanna tells me Finnick didn't take it well that she could leave before him." Annie sits beside me.

"Did you expect him to?" I ask.

"No, to be honest, I didn't. I just hope he doesn't hate me for it."

"He doesn't hate you, Annie. If anything, he loves you more than his own life. My sister can barely keep him from coming to find you, despite his fragile health."

"How much longer does he have to stay? Can your sister estimate?" Annie asks and I can hear the desperation in her voice.

"She hasn't mentioned anything. He's not healing very fast what with the lack of medication and proper nutrition." I explain.

"Sometimes I wish I hadn't left." She sighs.

"Why did you?"

"Seemed like a good idea at the time. I was thinking of all those people I could help, I wanted to make a contribution. I didn't realize I was going to hurt Finnick so badly."

I don't really know how to respond to that, and gladly, I don't have to, because the door opens and three men walk in. The first two I recognize because they were friends with my dad. I gasp when I see the third one. It's Haymitch.

"You're late." Annie says strictly.

We gather around Beetee and he pulls something out of a box. Apparently it's an explosion device, a bomb. He starts explaining how they work and how they are installed and activated, but I can barely understand half of what he's saying.

"What are we going to do with those?" asks Darius, one of my father's friends, asks.

"First, we're going to destroy the bridge that connects the town with the road to district 11. This way they can only use trains for supplies and manpower, and those we've managed to infiltrate. Then we'll destroy the Justice Building and Peacekeeper's headquarters." Beetee explains.

"Are you insane?" I say before I can stop myself.

"Some might say so." He smiles, glancing at Johanna. "Anyway, these events have to happen on the same night. The date has not been decided yet."

Effie gives us all a piece of paper. "These are your positions on the night of the attack. Memorize them, visit the places, observe the structure, the environment, mark any hiding places that could be used by both you and them. Make sure you do so with discretion, the last thing we need right now is for them to get suspicious."

I look at my paper. There's a drawing of what looks like the overview of the Justice Building. There's a giant X marked where I assume the back of the building is.

"Your job will be to attach the explosives, set them off and find cover as soon as possible. Further directions will be given to you right before the designated date. If you have memorized your positions, burn the paper. That will be all for today." Beetee says.

"That felt like school." I say on our way home.

"Well, Beetee was a science teacher in district three. And an inventor in his free time. The devices we'll use are his design." Gale explains.

"How do we even know they'll work?" I ask.

"I've seen those things in action. They do more damage than you'd give them credit for." He says with bright eyes.

I wish I could share his excitement, but all I can feel is fear. What if it doesn't work? What if we get caught? What if the Nazi's decide to take it out on the entire town? What if this Beetee guy doesn't really know what he's doing?

"So, how many times have you been in their place? And what are they thinking having us over during the day?" I ask after a while.

"Just a couple. They prefer contacting me the usual way. Annie insists that daylight is safer for us, it keeps us out of trouble. We avoid execution, we do more damage." He winks at me.

As days go by Gale and I try to find reasons to pass by the Justice Building without raising questions. We both wait in lines in the central square, I make a habit out of bringing my sister and the doctor lunch, I take Posy for walks, I pretend I'm looking for people and I have managed to create a mental map of the area behind me. A plan starts forming in my mind before I even realize it and I begin to maintain more confidence. I can do this. We can do this.

By the time they let us know about our next meeting, both Gale and I have become unbearable. Anxiety and anticipation have gotten the best of us and we end up having arguments about the silliest of things. Prim and Finnick keep asking what's going on, but neither of us can or want to tell them anything, so we just keep driving them crazy.

We are given instructions step by step, reminded of the entire plan, the function of the explosives and any details that may set us back.

"It happens tonight." Effie tells us.

"Tonight?" I repeat, shocked.

"Did you have better plans?" Beetee asks.

"No… I just thought we'd have more time to prepare."

Beetee shakes his head. "There's no time. We have information that they're expecting supplies at midnight, the kind they shouldn't get."

Very carefully I place the equipment they've given me in my hunting bag. Additionally to the devices, they also give me a flashlight and a gun.

"For self-defense." Johanna explains. "I'll be there too, to take care of the patrol guard." She winks at me.

We are silent on our way home. I try to take everything in, the grey sky, the trees, the stream. Even in the middle of winter, the woods are magnificent, so pure and untouched by the human hand. Until we reach the dead zone, of course.

"So… big night, tonight…" Gale mutters.

"Yeah…"

"Are you afraid?"

"I guess… but I'm also glad it's going to be over. I mean, one way or another tomorrow morning I'll know how this story ends." I shrug.

"True…"

"Are you afraid?" I ask him.

"Just a little nervous, I guess." He says.

When I enter my home the scene before my eyes is so normal that I almost forget I was just planning an attack.

"Check this out!" Finnick calls from my old bedroom.

I look at his abdomen and I realize it's the first time I've looked at his wounds in days. They are just thin red lines now.

"Prim says I can leave anytime I want!" he says wearing the brightest smile I've ever seen on him.

"Jeez, man, we're not that horrible!" Gale says but he can't help smile himself.

"So, will you tell me where they are?" Finnick asks.

"It's not a place you can find with instructions, you will get lost. I'll take you there myself tomorrow, ok?" Gale says.

"Oh, ok." Finnick says and I detect a slight frown. "What's one more day anyway?"

"We should celebrate!" Prim suggests and reaches for my hunting bag.

I beat her to it, not wanting her to see what is inside. I can see the question in her eyes while I give her today's game, but she doesn't say anything.

"Finnick, can I speak to you in private?" I say. I lead him in my old bedroom and close the door behind me.

I take the gun out of my bag and give it to him.

"Nice!" he says in appreciation.

"Do you know how to use it?" I ask.

"Of course." he says.

"Good. Hold on to it tonight, ok? You may need to protect the girls."

"What about you and Gale?" he asks.

"We won't be here."

"Katniss, what is going on? We can tell something is up with you two."

"I can't tell you. Everything will be over by tomorrow, but tonight you and the girls will be on your own for a while. Please, promise me you'll protect them." I beg.

"Katniss, of course." he squeezes my hand. "With my own life, if it comes down to that."

"Thank you" I mutter and I step outside before I lose my self-control and start crying. Now is not the time to be sentimental.

Prim prepares an amazing meal and, when dinner is over, all I can think about is my bed. I need to stay focused on the task.

We lie down early and I hold my sister until Gale tells me it's time to go. I kiss her forehead and slowly get out of bed.

"Katniss?" Prim whispers.

"Go back to sleep, little duck." I tell her.

"Good luck." She whispers again.


	13. Capture

**Chapter 12 - capture**

Gale and I walk side by side towards the town, in the very dim light of his flashlight, trying to make as little noise as possible. My entire body is trembling and I don't know if it is from the cold air or the anxiety. I tighten my coat around me.

"This is where we split up." Gale stops me after a while. We're in a crowded area of the town now. I give him a quick hug and head towards the opposite direction from his.

I choose to walk with one hand against a wall, too afraid to pull out my own flashlight just yet. All my senses are alert in my attempt to detect any movement around me. I know I've reached the back of the Justice Building when I feel the wall curve into a small recess that days ago I decided to use as my hiding spot. I slip in it just as a guard appears around the corner of the Building.

He pauses and looks over at my direction for a very long moment. I hold my breath and push my back against the wall wishing I could just disappear into it. Eventually he probably decides that his eyes fooled him, because he continues his route.

I pull out my flashlight and prepare my devices just as Beetee has showed me. I let the guard pass me once more and then I run to the closest corner of the Building. I set up one device and run back to my hiding spot unfolding the coil that connects it to the detonator. I hear voices from where I know Johanna's been waiting and I run to the opposite corner to do the same.

Back in my hiding place I have both bombs connected to their detonators when I hear the very familiar sound of explosion coming from some other place in town. That was probably the bridge. I hear glass breaking and I know that's my queue. I press the detonators, leave them on the ground and run.

I feel the earth move, I hear more glass breaking and people yelling, I can see lights turning on in the houses around the Building but I don't stop. I want to put as much distance as possible between me and that damn place.

I know I'm being followed before I hear the German commands. I make a sudden turn in an attempt to lose the Nazi on my trail but the bastard's good. I feel like my legs are going to give up on me but I force myself to run faster. I make circles around the town until I'm not aware of him behind me anymore. I take a moment to catch my breath and listen for any sounds that may indicate he's nearby.

I start climbing the hill to my house as quickly as I can. I hear soldiers and screams and gunshots. I don't look back, I don't try to help. I only have one goal; to get cover as soon as I can.

I automatically push my front door but it won't open. I push again, harder this time, but nothing happens.

"Prim?" I say as loudly as I dare.

"Katniss, is that you?" She asks.

"Yes. Are you ok?"

I hear noise from inside and the door opens enough for me to squeeze myself in. In the light of a candle I see that it was the kitchen table blocking the door. I can't help giving my sister and Finnick an amused look.

"She insisted." Finnick shrugged.

"Where's Posy?" I ask.

"I swear that baby can sleep through anything." Finnick mutters and points at a hand-made bed on the floor. She's curled up on blankets and nibbles her thumb peacefully.

"Katniss what happened down there? Did you have anything to do with the explosions?" Prim asks.

"I might have…" I say.

"And the gunshots?" She adds.

I think about that for a moment. I couldn't tell exactly where in town they were happening and there was no way of knowing who was firing or who was shot. "I don't know about those." I say eventually.

"Where's Gale?" Finnick asks.

Oh my God! Gale! In my eagerness to get out of that place I forgot he even existed. My eyes immediately fill up with tears.

"It's ok. He's probably ok." Prim says and puts her arms around me.

The horrible sounds of the battle that is going on in town give me goose bumps. We all get settled on the floor, very close to each other, wishing this horrible night away. None of us sees them coming.

They break my door and I see my kitchen table literally fly across the room. Eight soldiers and a woman, a traitor, enter the house. This one I don't know very well, all I know is that she's originally from district two and probably the most bloodthirsty person I've ever met. Her name is Enobaria.

Finnick points the gun I gave him earlier at them, but who is he kidding? One of the soldiers says something in German and points his weapon at Posy, who's now crying and screaming her lungs out in Prim's arms.

"Drop it or he shoots the baby." Enobaria translates.

Finnick drops the gun to ground and kicks it towards her.

Each of us ends up with our wrists handcuffed behind our backs and two soldiers leading us out of the house. They even handcuff Prim.

"You know" Enobaria tells me over Posy's screams, "your boyfriend probably won't be very happy with you. How many men have you let in your house?"

"Prim!" I yell, ignoring her.

"Shut up!" she hits my arm.

"Please don't hurt my sister!" I keep yelling.

They tighten their restrains on me and now that I can't resist I am very aware of the cold. I'm wearing nothing more than my dress. Not a coat, not even a jacket. I shudder and one of the soldiers laughs.

This infuriates me even more and I start throwing insults at them until I receive a very strong, very painful blow to the head.

When I open my eyes I have no idea where I am. I look around me but there's nothing more than dimly lit grey walls and a chair. I have a headache. What happened to me?

And then it hits me. Prim. . Gale. Oh, Gale, where are you? Has anyone told you what happened to us? Are you even alive?

I am freezing. I curl up on the cold floor and tuck the skirt of my dress between my ankles. How long I've been here, I don't know. Some time goes by, it could be minutes or hours for all I know, but hell, I don't even know whether I've managed to stay conscious for its entire length. Someone comes in my cell, but I don't bother looking up. He says something in German. I don't respond, I don't even acknowledge his presence. He grabs my arms and makes me stand. The movement makes me dizzy and I think I'm going to vomit, but my determination wins; I won't give him the satisfaction.

He says something in German again, it sounds like a question. I look up with an amused expression. "Exactly how stupid are you?" I ask flashing him a smile.

I'm beginning to suspect that he actually understands my language the moment his palm lands on my cheek.

A second Nazi enters the room.

"He asked who the man in your house is." He explains. "And he's smarter than you think."

I'm about to say something insulting, just to avoid the question, but then I remember a conversation we all had since when Johanna was still with us. I decide to stick to it, hoping my sister has done the same.

"He's my cousin." I lie smoothly.

"How come no one else in the district knows him, then?"

"Have you asked every single person in town?" I raise my brow.

The first Nazi punches me in the stomach, knocking the air out of my lungs.

"That is going to happen every time you answer a question with a question." The second Nazi tells me. "Again. Why hasn't any of the locals seen him again?"

"He's antisocial." I shrug.

"Or, he's from another district, maybe?" he suggests. "Let me save you the trouble, young lady, because we have more important things to discuss. We know he's a fugitive from district four."

"Well, you certainly know more than I do." I tell him.

"Is that so? Maybe I should inform you, then, that you've been harboring a criminal. A murderer."

"A murderer." I repeat. "Are you sure about that?"

That wins me another punch in the stomach.

"He did have a gun, didn't he?" the Nazi raises his brow.

I say nothing, so he decides to go on with the interrogation.

"What about last night?" he asks.

"What about it?" I ask. Another punch. This one much stronger and I can't help falling on my knees.

"Where were you last night?"

"You found me in my home! You know where I was."

"And before you went home?"

"I went for a walk in the woods."

"What time?"

"Around noon, I guess."

"You guess?"

"Yes."

"But you're not sure."

"No."

"So it could have been a little bit later than noon."

"I guess it could have."

"Say, midnight?"

"No."

"So you had nothing to do with last night's attacks."

"I had nothing to do with them."

"You know what, Katniss, I think you're lying."

"You're free to think whatever you want."

"At least, with such a big mouth, Peeta isn't going to miss you much. No man wants a woman like you for a lifetime." He chuckles.

They try asking the same questions and some more while causing me more physical pain but all they get out of me is high pitched screams. They finally decide that this is not the way to make me talk and they stop hitting me. I only have time for a sigh of relief before they make me get up.

We walk down a long corridor that I recognize from my time as a student and I can hear cries of pain coming from the other cells. I am not sure if it is in my imagination, but I think I recognize Finnick. The only thing that helps me keep it together is that I can't hear my sister.

The Nazi that speaks our language unlocks a door and we all end up in another cell. The only difference with my cell is that in this one, we have company.

"Katniss?" Gale whispers. I widen my eyes at his sight. I've seen him beaten up before, but today he looks a hundred times worse. His entire face is swollen, his clothes are torn and covered in blood, every visible inch of his body shows cuts and bruises and he can barely walk.

"One of you will talk, one way or another" the Nazi says and gives Gale a good punch in the stomach.

I try to go to him, but the other soldier slams me against the wall.

"Katniss, don't!" Gale manages to get out before a lit cigarette lands on his neck.

They take turns beating us up now and making the other watch. They ask us questions about who else was involved in yesterday's attack, who is behind it, where we found our weapons and explosives, where the escaped prisoners are and about other incidents that I hadn't even heard of until now.

The only thing that keeps me from spilling my guts is Gale's expression. There is so much strength in his eyes, so much determination and anger that I feel like he's giving me a boost, even when he's the one being tortured.

Neither of us has the energy or the stamina to continue for much longer. Soon, though not soon enough, Gale loses consciousness.

"Ok, so you're done for now…" The Nazi mutters and kicks Gale to his side.

They both escort me back to my cell.

"Please" I keep begging them, "Let me stay with him." All I get is a slap in the face. They throw me back in my cell and it's not long before I pass out, too.


	14. Spy

**Chapter 13 - spy**

I don't know how long I've been here. A day? A week? A year? I haven't just lost track of time. I've lost my physical and emotional strength. I've lost my dignity. But so far, I've won. They've tortured me in every way possible, physical or emotional and they haven't been able to get a single word out of my mouth.

Every now and then someone brings me a glass of water or a tray with something disgusting they call food. I haven't touched any of it. I don't feel hungry or thirsty anymore. I only feel pain. Not the physical kind, the cold numbs me enough for that. No, the pain I feel comes from having no idea where my sister is. Or Posy, or Gale for that matter. It comes from not knowing whether they're alive or not.

At some point they lead me to the back yard of the school. Three people were standing against the wall and six soldiers were aiming their weapons at them. I was forced to stand there and witness the execution of those people. The brilliant, almost blinding, sunlight of that cold winter morning did not keep me from seeing Finnick's expressionless face, before they covered it with a pillowcase, a bullet find his chest and him fall on the ground in a pool of his own blood. It didn't keep me from watching them throw his body unceremoniously in the freshly dug hole.

As much as his death hurts me, I'm glad that he's out of his misery. I can only hope that they'll decide to put me out of mine soon.

I don't even bother looking around when I am awake anymore. I am very well aware of my surroundings. Did I pass out again? Oh, well, it seems to be the only way to find some peace these days, anyway.

"Thank you." I hear someone say right outside my door. "I only want to see her for a few minutes."

I hear my door open and close very quickly, but I don't bother looking up. I remain curled up on my favorite spot, staring at the wall.

"Oh my God! Katniss!" Peeta says in a low voice. "What have they done to you?"

He kneels by my side and gently touches my shoulder, to make me turn and face him.

"What have they done to you?" he whispers again, when he sees my face.

"What's the matter, Peeta?" I ask, barely able to maintain a steady voice. "You hadn't realized what your friends were capable of?"

"Good to see you haven't lost your spirit" he chuckles as he helps me get up. "Your hands are very cold… you must be freezing!" he observes.

Before I have time to say anything he unbuttons his long coat, pulls me in his arms and wraps it around me.

I'm thinking I should pull away, but like I said before, I have no dignity left. I'm starved for warmth and human closeness, even if that human is Mellark, so I just rest my head on his chest and my hands on his waist. I take a deep breath, inhaling his scent. This is probably the last memory of anything good I'll ever have.

"Wow, prison has really changed you." he mutters.

Any other place or time a comment like that would have won him an insult, but there's only one thing I'm interested in.

"Prim?" I ask.

"They asked her some questions and she gave them fake answers. They assumed you grown-ups lied to the kid to protect her so they sent her to Enobaria's, along with the Hawthorne baby. She couldn't stand them for more than a day so she let the doctor take them."

Good. At least they're safe for now.

"Why did you come?" I ask again.

"To get you out" he whispers in my ear. He pushes me away enough to reach into an inside pocket and hands me a small gun.

"I hear you have a pretty good aim." He smiles. "Stay behind me."

In a matter of seconds I find myself hiding behind him, while he knocks the door. He says something in German and the door flies open.

Peeta's bullet finds the Nazi's skull and he pulls me out in the hallway.

"More will be coming for us, so if you have to kill, kill." He tells me quickly.

We run down the corridor, towards the exit.

"Gale" I say.

"Not now, Katniss!" Peeta says pushing me to a corner.

He shoots at the two soldiers that are approaching us. His bullet grazes one in the arm and they fire back. Peeta tries to protect me with his body, but I go around him and shoot. My bullet finds the other one in the chest, at the same time Peeta's finds the first in the leg. The soldier falls to the ground, next to his dead friend. He keeps firing at us but we manage to avoid getting hurt and soon enough we are out of his sight. We keep running for what seems like an eternity and then I stop.

"Peeta" I croak. I can barely breath.

"Come on, Katniss, we don't have time!" He puts an arm around my waist and pulls me forward. On our way to the exit we come across five more soldiers, all of which end up lying on the floor. It is a miracle that we're still alive.

On the ground floor we hide behind the staircase and Peeta replaces the weapon in my hand.

"This one's full." He explains.

"How many…" I begin to ask.

"Hopefully enough to get us out of here." He interrupts me.

We walk quietly towards the main door and he opens the door slowly. I'm ready to fire, but all I can see is two bodies lying on the ground.

Peeta walks up to them and kicks them hard. They appear to be dead.

"Good." He mutters. "They're here."

I want to ask who "they" are but he's leading me to the trucks on the side of the school so I decide to remain silent.

We check every single vehicle to make there aren't any hidden surprises and all of them turn out clear.

"That's not a good sign." Peeta mutters.

"What?"

"No one is outside. That means they're all in there." He points at the school.

I stare at him, confused, but he just shakes his head. He takes off his coat and hands it to me.

"Thanks" I say as I wrap myself with it. I realize that I'm freezing.

He's now unbuttoning his shirt and just as I'm about to ask what he's doing, I realize he's wearing another one underneath, very similar to the kind the Nazis wear. That, however, is not what attracts my attention.

"You're bleeding." I point at his leg.

"Yeah, I guess it's had a rough time these past couple of weeks. Don't worry, it's just a graze." He shrugs.

I still take the shirt from his hands and tie it around the wound.

He opens the door of the truck we've been hiding behind and holds out a hand.

"Ladies first" he says, helping me climb inside. He follows me and sits on the driver's seat.

He takes a key out of his shirt's pocket.

"They should be done by now." he mutters as he turns the key and the truck roars to life.

He tells me to hide and I'm more than happy to slide in the empty space in front of my seat.

Without a visual I can only guess what is happening. He drives for a minute, he stops and I hear people climbing on the back of the truck.

"Go, Peeta, they're coming!" I hear a female voice. It sounds familiar but I can't quite place it.

"Is she ok?" Johanna asks. Johanna?

"Yes. Katniss, you can get up now." Peeta tells me.

Very slowly and very aware of my sore body I rise to my seat.

"Johanna, what are you doing here?" I ask.

"No time for small talk, girl."

It's dark outside and I'm not sure I know exactly where we are. Somewhere in the dead zone, I assume.

When we are about to reach the forest, Peeta stops the truck. "This is where you get off." He smiles at me.

I look at him with uncertainty. "What about you?" I ask.

"Good to know you're worried about me." He says.

"Good to know you have a soul." I wink at him.

When I shut the door behind me and Peeta leaves, the only thing that allows me to see anything is Johanna's flashlight. I can see her figure along with two others.

"Gale? Annie?" I ask hesitantly.

"Did you think we'd leave him in there?" Annie asks.

"We're free, Catnip." Gale says with difficulty.

God it feels good to be free. Unless I move too fast. Or stand for too long. Or breathe.

It takes us so long to get to the shelter that Annie has to practically carry me for the last few yards.

"Annie…" I say weakly.

"I know about Finnick." She tells me quietly. "I know you were there."

"How do you…" I begin to ask.

"Peeta" she explains. "I'm glad he had a familiar face with him until the end." Her voice breaks but I pretend not to notice.

We finally reach the place and find ourselves surrounded by Effie, Haymitch and Prim. Posy is sleeping in a corner.

Haymitch turns his attention to Gale, who seems to be in a much worse condition than me.

Johanna helps me change and I can see her eyes widening once I remove whatever is left from my dress.

"That bad, huh?" I ask.

"It sure isn't pretty…" she mutters.

Effie gives me a dress but I'm not allowed to put it on before my sister takes a good look at me.

They make both Gale and me sit by the fire and throw blankets over our shoulders. We're sipping some soup when Peeta walks in.

"Ditched the truck and they're off my trail!" he announces proudly.

"Good job, Peeta." Annie pats his shoulder.

I have so many questions but not the energy for conversation so I just lie by the fire and drift off.

I can't believe I get to see the light of the day again. As soon as I open my eyes I wrap my blanket around my shoulders and go outside. I notice Peeta sitting on a rock, not very far from the hut.

"Good morning." I say and sit beside him.

"Oh, hey!" he smiles at me. "How did you sleep?"

"Well… I slept… that's a first after…" I can't finish the sentence.

"They didn't let you sleep?" he asks, but I can tell he regrets the question.

"I mostly passed out, I think. Haymitch said I have a concussion."

"Oh…"

"Peeta?" I ask. "How long was I in there?"

"Four days."

"And how were you involved in all this?"

"I've been working with Annie since before she approached you."

"What?" I say a little too loudly. "How?"

"Well, I overheard some guys talking about something weird going on in the woods. I decided to check it out and I came across her. She had difficulty trusting me, but I was in the perfect position for information. She couldn't pass the opportunity." He explains.

"So, you've been some sort of a double agent?"

"You could say that, I assume."

"Did you know I was involved in this?"

"I did."

"Why didn't you say anything? Why did you let me call you a traitor and treat you the way I did?"

"Well… I didn't want to blow my cover, for one thing… I wasn't exactly a saint either, I mean I did originally become friends with them… and I like it when you're being feisty. It's very inspiring." He smiles at me.

"Why the change of heart?" I ask, reluctant to address the compliment.

"No change of heart. I never understood their way of thinking. I just followed my family's example. My mother likes them. My father does whatever my mother tells him. So do my brothers, on some level. And so did I for a while. I can't say that I'm not going to miss some of them, but I know if I go back, I'm dead."

"Aren't you going to miss your family?" I ask.

"You ask way too many questions today…" he chuckles. "I'll miss them, I guess. My brothers, mostly."

"If I may ask one more…" I say hesitantly, but I wait until he nods to continue. "That day I apologized to you… Annie had asked me to do that to keep you away from witnessing something…"

"Keep me away from Sae's place…" he interrupts me.

"Yeah, that… if you were already working with her, why did I need to keep you distracted?"

"To give me an alibi… there was a rumor that I was against them after all and they seemed to believe it… they suspected that our relationship was not real. That day we convinced them that there was nothing suspicious about it; it just looked like I was having girl trouble."

I stare at him for a long moment. It is amazing how good a liar someone can be.

"I just realized…" I say slowly. "I never thanked you for getting me out."

"You're welcome." He gently strokes my back.

"I wish there was something I could do for you." I mutter.

"You don't like owing anything to anyone, do you?"

I shake my head.

"There is something you could do for me." He says hesitantly.

"What?" I ask eagerly.

"Consider coming to the Capitol with us."

"Us?"

"Annie, Effie, Haymitch and I are going. The Organization needs more manpower and we are willing to offer our services."

"Peeta, that's not something I can decide on my own."

"Just consider it, ok? I know for a fact you have a lot to offer and we work pretty well together. Plus, I'd like to spend more time with you, now that you actually know the truth about me."

I'm not sure that I want to have this conversation with my family, until they ask me why I'm so nervous.

"Go." Gale tells me when I'm done explaining. "He's right, you do have a lot to offer. Being separated for a while is a small price to pay for our freedom."

"Let me come with you" Prim begs me.

"What?" I look at her horrified.

"Haymitch says he wants me to go with him, if you let me." Prim explains.

"Again. What?"

"Effie says there's some sort of facility for injured rebels. They could use some help and Haymitch thinks I should go. I won't be able to learn anything here, Katniss."

I consider that for a moment. If I make her stay here with Gale, she'll be sentenced to hide in this Godforsaken place, unable to do what she loves, and she'll have me to thank for that. Besides, I have to admit, staying is not the safest option for her either.

"I guess it's up to you, little duck." I smile at her.

"Thank you, Katniss, thank you!" she wraps her arms around me so tightly that my already sore body is screaming of pain.

"I'm so sorry" she pulls away after a second.

"What about you?" I ask Gale.

"I can't exactly go anywhere." He points at Posy.

"But you can't raise her on your own!" I protest.

"I won't be alone. Johanna and Beetee are staying here. Between the three of us we can handle a baby." He says.

"Ok then… I guess I'm going to the Capitol." I smile.


	15. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

I haven't felt so liberated in my life, as selfish as that sounds. The possibility of a new place and a new task has never sounded more appealing. When I find out that we have to wait for a week before another train leaves for the Capitol, I am more than disappointed. I don't know if it is because everything here reminds me of my parents or because I can't show my face in town again. Maybe it's both.

Peeta and I have come closer; much closer. My aversion towards him vanished the moment I realized he was on our side. I realized that everything good he'd done for me since the invasion was not intended to charm or trap me; it was just his nature. Now I can see the 'old Peeta' again, as I had once called him.

We're all stuck in the last wagon of the train, the one with all the luggage and no heat or light; at least we've been promised no one is going to look for us here. I am curled up in a tiny space between suitcases.

"You're not sleeping? Everybody else is." Peeta whispers as he approaches me.

"I'm too nervous to sleep." I say. I push a few suitcases to make room for him to sit beside me.

"Thanks" he says. "Nervous? Why?"

"Because I've no idea where I'm going, or what I'm going to do." I explain.

He chuckles. "At least you know you're not going to be alone." He says.

He puts an arm around my shoulders and plants a soft kiss on my lips. I don't push him away now. Instead, I rest my hand on his neck and pull him into a deeper kiss. We get comfortable in each other's arms and drift off. In my mind I hear my mother's voice: "There is beauty in the simplest of things."

 _So... that was it, people... I can't tell you how grateful and happy I am for your support... really, I never thought I'd have these many people read something of my own... thank you so much for your time, your patience and your nice comments... I really hope we will meet again soon, maybe in one of my stories or in one of yours... until then... MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR_


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